While travelling through the East on his way to the burial of the late Nollywood icon, Mrs. Nkechi Winifred Nweje, Peter Obi made an unscheduled stop that left a lasting impression on a local trader — and on everyone who witnessed it.
During the journey, Obi noticed an elderly woman on the other side of the road struggling to lift a heavy bucket as she tried to board a commercial bus. The bucket appeared far too heavy for her frail frame, and just as she was about to enter the vehicle, it fell — spilling part of its contents.
Seeing the woman clearly in distress, Peter Obi immediately asked his driver to stop and watch to ensure she was okay. He then instructed the driver to turn the vehicle around to reach her side of the road.
As the car pulled up, Obi stepped out personally to attend to her. The woman, surprised and overwhelmed to see the former governor, broke into a smile despite her obvious frustration and sadness.
She requested a hug, which Obi gave warmly. Concerned, he asked her if she was alright.
Bystanders had already begun helping her recover what was salvageable from the spilled produce. The woman explained that she was on her way to the market, where she earns her daily income selling the contents of the bucket.
She revealed that she had spent ₦8,000 on the goods and hoped to sell them for ₦10,000, making a profit of just ₦2,000 — a small gain that now seemed unlikely after the spillage.
Upon hearing this, Peter Obi immediately gave her money to cover the full cost of her goods. The woman, overwhelmed with emotion, screamed in joy, hugged him again, and began praying for him. She even tried to offer him some of her produce in gratitude.
The smile on her face and the visible relief in her body language told a story of hardship momentarily lifted.
This heartwarming moment, however, speaks to a larger, painful truth about the lives of many Nigerians.
“Nigerians work so hard every day for so little, while the political elite continue to steal, pad budgets, and squander public funds without investing in the people,” one observer noted.
The woman’s situation is far from unique — it is a reflection of a broken system where millions struggle daily with poverty, insecurity, and lack of support, while those in power remain detached and indifferent.
“You cannot tell the people to fast while you feast,” is a sentiment that echoes louder than ever.
It’s a reminder that Nigeria’s wealth must be used to build better healthcare, create dignified jobs, and support small businesses — not to line the pockets of the corrupt.
What the country needs now is leadership with compassion, one that is committed to lifting people out of poverty, not keeping them there.
