The former presidential candidate of the Labor Party, Peter Obi, has reflected on leadership and public conduct after a three -day visit to the United States, which took him to Washington, Chicago and Atlanta.
In a publication about X, Obi described his trip in Delta Airlines and highlighted lessons drawn from his experiences at Hartsfield International Airport -Jackson Atlanta and during an encounter with the mayor of Atlanta, Andre Dickens.
Peter Obi took the opportunity of his tour to contrast public service and modesty abroad with attitudes often exhibited by Nigerian leaders.
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Full statement below;
“I left Lagos yesterday, on September 24, for a 3 -day trip to the United States, covering Washington and Chicago, with an Atlanta stop. I traveled with Delta Airlines, the first airline in the United States, which has existed for more than 100 years.
“We Arrived at Hartsfield – Jackson Atlanta International Airport, The Busiest Airport in the World. It Handles Over 100 Million Passengers Annually – Bout Five Times The Total Traffic of All Nigerian Airports Combined. The Airport Is Owned by The City of Atlanta and Generates About $ 32 billion Annual Anually (Roughly Nigeria’s 2024 Operational Budget) for the city, and $ 70 billion (Almost Twice Nigeria’s 2025 Budget) for the Metropolitan Area of ​​Atlanta and the state of Georgia.
“The city of Atlanta is executed with an annual budget of approximately $ 3 billion (more than 4.5 billion). Its current mayor, Mr. Andre Dickens, was a businessman before entering politics. His key commitments include public safety, addressing crime, creating opportunities for young people and guaranteeing a minimum of $ 15 per hour for council workers. It is estimated that it is worth around $ 10 million.
“Yesterday (Wednesday), after meeting with Mayor Andre Dickens, both traveled on the same flight to Washington. At the Atlanta airport, on the plane, and when they arrived at Ronald Regan’s National Airport, there was no special announcement of their presence, or assistants who carried their bags and did not jumped their tail during the table or landing.
“In Nigeria, the governors, most of which supervise the smallest budgets than those of Atlanta, and even the presidents of the local government, whose assignments are less than 1% of those of Atlanta, would have constituted a public discomfort with sirens, protocol officers, endless announcements, large committees and posters everywhere. Our public behavior and behavior must change”.
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