By Arowolo Ayoola Abimbola
PETER Obi continues to expose us, not by making noise, but simply by being himself. He has exhumed everything that’s wrong with us as citizens.
We’ve become so conditioned to seeing power expressed through arrogance and showmanship that we now find humility unsettling. We can’t seem to process the idea that power can be handled quietly, responsibly, even gently.
Obi continues to remind us, again and again, of just how broken our understanding of leadership has become. In a country where power is equated with privilege, and status is often worn like armor, Obi’s quiet consistency unsettles many, not because he offends, but because he doesn’t fit.
The recent viral moment of Peter Obi serving food at a Catholic Church event was, for many, a shock. For others, it was a stunt. But for those who understood the context, it was profoundly symbolic.
He wasn’t pretending. We’re just not used to leadership that is comfortable being human.
It took me back to a deeply personal experience during a leadership retreat I attended years ago in the UK, a program organized for business leaders and social entrepreneurs, funded by the World Economic Forum. We were brought together for ten days of deceleration, to strip leadership down to its essence and reflect on who we are without our titles and positions.
In filling my profile for the event, I requested to be addressed as Dr. Arowolo. I showed up with my full academic identity, and carried it with a bit of flair. Everyone called me “Doc.” I spoke as often as my opinions were sought. I felt distinguished, and to some degree, important.
But one of the rules of the retreat was that we were not allowed to introduce ourselves by our jobs or any enterprise we lead. We could talk about anything, family, values, hobbies, but not what we did professionally.
There was a quiet man in our group, warm but reserved. We called him Pete. No suffix. No preface. Just Pete. He didn’t speak much, but when he did, it was measured, deep, and strikingly wise. I connected with him over meals and walks. I admired his mind, but never knew his background.
On the final day, we were finally allowed to say what we did.
And that’s when I discovered that “Pete,” this gentle, insightful man, held a PhD in disruptive innovation and was a professor at one of the most prestigious universities in the world. A true global authority in his field.
I was floored. Not just by the revelation, but by the humility.
Here I was, parading my title, while he carried substance without a label.
It changed something in me.
And it’s the same quiet shift Peter Obi is provoking in our collective consciousness.
Sometimes, the loudest voice in the room isn’t the most powerful one.
Sometimes, the one serving food is the one whose leadership we need the most.
If Obi unsettles you, maybe it’s not because of what he’s doing, but because of what he represents: a different kind of power. A kind we’re not used to.
And maybe… it’s time we got used to it.
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