Former presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has said Nigeria is not short of talent but has for decades been held back by leadership failure that has denied citizens the opportunity to realise their full potential.
In a statement shared on Monday via his official X (formerly Twitter) account, Obi said the thought struck him as he prepared to watch the Super Bowl, the championship game of the National Football League (NFL), featuring the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
He noted that the global sporting spectacle once again highlighted Nigeria’s vast human potential, pointing to the presence of players of Nigerian birth and heritage competing on one of the biggest stages in world sports.
According to Obi, the success of these athletes outside the country underscores what Nigerians can achieve when given access to the right environment, opportunities, and supportive systems.
He argued that Nigeria’s major challenge has never been a lack of gifted individuals but poor leadership and governance structures that have failed to nurture talent and create conditions for excellence to thrive.
The former Anambra State governor stressed that with purposeful leadership, functional institutions, and investments in people, Nigerians could excel not only in sports but across all sectors on the global stage.
Obi’s remarks add to his long-standing call for leadership reforms and policies focused on human capital development as a pathway to national growth and global competitiveness.
