Peter Obi Urges Leadership Integrity At UNN Alumni Conference

The Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general election, Mr. Peter Obi, has called for value-driven leadership anchored on integrity, empathy, and human development as the foundation for restoring Nigeria’s dignity.

He made the call in Birmingham, United Kingdom, while delivering the keynote address at the 8th Annual Conference of the University of Nigeria Alumni Association, UK, on the theme of “Restoring the Dignity of Man through Building an Equitable, Inclusive, and Compassionate Society.”

Before the conference, Mr. Obi visited Birmingham City University, where he met with the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. David Mbah—one of only two Black Vice-Chancellors among more than 160 universities in the UK, both Nigerians. He commended Prof. Mbah and his team for their commitment to inclusive education and excellence.

At the conference, Obi decried leadership failure as Nigeria’s greatest challenge, citing the collapse of the education and health sectors, the growing number of out-of-school children, and the erosion of the rule of law. He urged leaders to govern with integrity and compassion, and citizens to elect only competent and upright individuals.

In a related message, Obi celebrated Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie for bringing pride to Nigeria through her recent international recognitions, including the Mermaid Award (Sweden), Felix Jud Prize (Germany), and Women’s Prize for Fiction – Winner of Winners (UK).

He described her as “a beacon of excellence and inspiration to millions,” commending her for reminding the world that excellence, integrity, and hard work remain the true measures of success.