As the nation continues to mourn the passing of Chief (Dr.) Edwin Clark, former presidential candidate Peter Obi has issued a powerful challenge to Nigerian leaders: “Let us build a Nigeria where truth is spoken, justice is upheld, and leadership is anchored in service and sacrifice.”
Obi’s call came during the funeral rites of the revered Niger Delta leader, which began with a commendation service at the National Christian Centre in Abuja and continued in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State — the late statesman’s home region.
Obi, fresh from an academic engagement at Cambridge University, while writing on his X handle, said flew into Abuja early Monday to attend the service, before traveling with the body of Chief Clark to the Niger Delta.
He was joined by former President Goodluck Jonathan, Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri, and leaders of PANDEF and the Ijaw National Congress.
While the ceremonies were marked by pageantry and tributes from top political figures, it was Obi’s forward-looking message that resonated the most.
“Chief Clark stood for truth, justice, unity, and equity,” Obi said. “He spoke truth to power, not for applause, but because Nigeria needed to hear it. We cannot merely eulogize him—we must embody the values he lived for.”
The late Clark, known for his fearless advocacy and pan-Nigerian vision, spent decades championing justice for the Niger Delta and calling for equity in the nation’s governance. For Obi, that legacy must not end with his burial.
“Our country is hurting,” Obi continued. “Too many live in fear, too few speak the truth. If we truly want to honour Chief Clark, we must begin to tell ourselves the hard truths and act on them.”
In a political climate often marred by evasion, ethnic tension, and divisive rhetoric, Obi’s words echoed like a quiet rebellion — a call not just for reform, but for moral reckoning.