Awka – Mr. Peter Obi, former Vice Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said that Nigeria will become great when it begins to invest heavily in education.
Obi spoke at the weekend against today’s Independent Day anniversary while visiting El Shalom secondary school, owned by the Anglican Diocese of Ogbaru.
He noted that the seeds for greatness were mainly sowed early in school and that he was in the school to redeem his promise to provide the school with a bus during his earlier visit in June.
Obi also said he deliberately chose the season of independence for the visit “to remind Nigerian leaders that Nigeria would only truly become independent when her leaders realized the importance of education and invest heavily in it for the future greatness of the country”.
He said that he would not forget his government’s partnership with the Church that partly accounted for the success of his tenure in Anambra State.
He said: “I remain grateful to the Church for their partnership with us in building a better state.
” I remember how, during my discussion with the former Bishop of Ogbaru, Rt Rev’d Samuel Ezeofor on how I would assist and how he requested support for his school.
“You see, my Lord Bishop was thinking about the good of society by thinking of how to re-position the education sector. If it were politicians they would have very easily requested vehicles or houses. This is why I keep appealing to those in government to see the Church as partners in progress.”
In his response, Bishop Prosper Amah, who was joined by his brother bishop, Rt. Revd Precious Nwala in receiving Mr. Obi thanked him for always thinking of the welfare of the society through concern for education.
Afterward, Obi donated to the school thorough the senior prefect of the school, Miss Divine Ogbueli, who, during the votes of thanks, prayed to God to bless Mr. Peter Obi for his concern and practical support to the education sector across the country.
Obi was accompanied by his former Chief of staff and commissioner for Economic Planning and Budge Prof. Stella Chinyere Okunna, who also spoke to the students on the need to embrace ennobling virtues, especially in a world that is at war with herself