In a candid interview on The Honest Bunch podcast, Labour Party Presidential Candidate and former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, shared profound insights into his marriage, personal values, and his vision for Nigeria.
Known for his straightforwardness, the 63-year-old politician expressed unwavering commitment to his wife of 32 years, Margaret Usen, while also addressing the country’s issues around productivity and religious practices.
Obi, who has been married to Margaret since 1992, passionately declared that nothing would make him consider divorce.
Speaking on the podcast, he affirmed his steadfast devotion to his marriage, regardless of any potential challenges, saying, “No matter what my wife does today, I will never stop being married to her, and I will never separate from her; even if she were to take a gun to shoot me, I will never leave her. As long as I am alive, I won’t marry another woman. She is my wife.”
Obi elaborated on his commitment to Margaret, explaining that he respects their different preferences and lifestyles without allowing it to affect their relationship.
For instance, “When we travel, she might be in business class or first class while I’m in the economy and we are on the same plane. It doesn’t bother me because it suits her,” he said.
Reflecting on their marriage, he added, “It is a sealed matter. As long as I am alive, she is my wife, and I won’t have anything to do with another woman. Whatever she likes, let her do. It won’t offend me. What will she do that will offend me? If she has an affair, that’s her business… You can’t quantify me with the lifestyle of my children and my wife; we have different lifestyles.”
In the same interview, Obi shifted to a broader critique of Nigerian society, arguing that an excessive focus on politics and religion is hindering national productivity.
He asserted, “I’m not happy in Nigeria; we can’t continue to breed poverty; that’s not leadership. We live in a largely unproductive society, which is why politics and religion seem to be the only things that seem attractive here.”
One of his most controversial suggestions was to replace night vigils with night shifts, thereby channeling time spent in religious activities toward economic productivity.
Obi argued, “We have to dismantle it. I’d instead turn night vigils into night shifts so people can be productive. I go to church; I believe in God. However, we cannot have people attending church from Monday to Friday, morning and night. If I travel from here to my house, the only signboards I see are those of churches. If you go to the east, it’s burials, and that’s not a country. In other countries, you’ll see products.”
These remarks sparked intense debate across Nigeria, with some viewing his comments as critical of religious traditions.
In response, Obi’s media aide, Ibrahim Umar, released a statement clarifying the former governor’s intent, stressing that Obi was not advocating for the “dismantling of churches.”
The statement explained, “Our attention has been drawn to a massive twist in his recent media interview, saying erroneously that he called for the dismantling of churches in Nigeria. By the headline given to the interview, the import of Obi’s message has been dramatically overturned and grossly distorted to serve a mischievous end.”
Umar further highlighted Obi’s deep respect for faith, clarifying, “The Labour Party leader is well known as a man of strong faith who has enormous respect and love for every religion. In the interview referenced, he tried to show Nigerians how religion can be more effective in their lives.”
According to the statement, Obi’s comments underscored the biblical principle of pairing faith with work.
“Obi, in the interview, merely underscored what Apostle James said in ‘Faith without Works is unhelpful.’ When Obi said he would turn night vigil into production night, he only stressed the importance of worshipping God through work.”
Umar concluded by reiterating that Obi’s message called for a balanced integration of work and prayer, explaining, “What we are doing in Nigeria, which Obi’s interview highlights as wrong and should be discontinued, is exchanging work for prayer when the two should go together. There is no evidence in the scripture that Jesus blessed an idle person.”
Peter Obi’s interview has reignited discussions on productivity, marriage, and the role of religion in Nigeria, with reactions ranging widely as citizens reflect on his statements and the implications for the country’s future.