Reno Omokri, a prominent supporter of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and a frequent political commentator, has issued a strongly worded response to Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, following Obi’s recent remarks on Nigeria’s escalating insecurity challenges.
Obi had earlier shared a post on X titled “Is Nigeria cursed or are we the curse?,” where he lamented the growing wave of kidnappings nationwide, including the abduction of schoolchildren in several northern states.
Omokri Rejects Obi’s Assertion About Nigeria
Reacting to Obi’s statement, Omokri dismissed the suggestion that Nigeria might be under a curse, describing such comments as irresponsible for someone who once sought the nation’s highest office.
He faulted Obi for portraying Nigeria in a negative light, insisting that such language only fuels hopelessness rather than offering solutions to insecurity.
“Nigeria Is Not Cursed,” Omokri Insists
In a lengthy counter-message posted on X, Omokri wrote: “Nigeria Is Not Cursed, As Peter Obi Claims! Dear Peter Obi, Nigeria is not cursed. How can you even say that? So you want to govern a cursed nation? This is 2025. Emancipate your mind from superstition.”
He argued that curses have no bearing on national security issues and suggested that if curses truly had power, Obi would have suffered consequences long ago from the alleged grievances of Anambra residents who accused him of poor governance during his time as governor.
He added pointedly: “Curses do not work. If they do, all the curses piled on you by the people of Anambra for the eight years that you misgoverned them.”
Omokri further reiterated past allegations accusing Obi of focusing on private investments—such as breweries and financial holdings—while failing to prioritise the development of public schools and essential infrastructure during his administration.[/p>
Omokri Links Nigeria’s Problems to Support for Nnamdi Kanu
Omokri maintained that the country’s worsening security situation has nothing to do with supernatural forces but is instead influenced by what he called “terrorists’ enablers.”
He specifically accused Obi of enabling insecurity by allegedly defending Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), whose recent conviction and sentencing have drawn intense national reactions.
According to Omokri, insecurity thrives when influential figures send mixed signals or appear sympathetic to groups accused of violent activities.
Revisiting Past Statements
Omokri reminded Nigerians that Obi once condemned the killing of soldiers in Abia State but also repeatedly maintained that “IPOB are not terrorists.”
He questioned whether Obi still stands by his condemnation of the attack on security personnel or has reverted to his earlier defence of the separatist group.
“Look in the Mirror,” Omokri Tells Obi
Concluding his criticism, Omokri argued that Nigeria’s present struggles stem from “double standards” and “inconsistent messages” from leaders who, in his view, empower violent actors through their rhetoric.
He advised Obi to engage in self-reflection, suggesting that if he truly wants to understand the roots of Nigeria’s insecurity, he should “buy a mirror.”