*Peter Obi’s Boreholes And The Hypocrisy Of Some Ungrateful Nigerians*

First to be clear, As Founder of Naija lives matter Organization,  I am officially now unaligned to any party after the election as our focus is now on what is best for Nigeria and Nigerians and not any political personality or party. However, I am somewhat miffed and disappointed that many Nigerians think it’s acceptable to criticize Peter Obi, a FORMER presidential candidate with no official portfolio, for his commendable charitable act of constructing simple boreholes for some communities. How is this a negative action or something he should be ashamed of? Is he their elected governor or local government chairman? If the communities really think it’s beneath them then they should reject it and use the one provided by their elected officials, if any! Obviously is becos their local officials failed them that someone like Peter Obi could even be in a position to give them some boreholes.

So, I say Shior to all @PeterObi CRITICS CONCERNING THE WATER BOREHOLE ISSUE, PLEASE BE SILENT!

The truth is only a confused and ungrateful people would criticize a private citizen for using his own money to do what your local government cannot, by providing a basic amenity like water to rural areas.

These are areas previously relying on muddy water from dirty streams. To them, a borehole represents a MAJOR improvement in their standard of living even if that sounds crazy to those of us with comfortable houses abroad or locally . So, it is senseless and uncharitable to criticize him for providing a practical, basic, and inexpensive solution. Or did you all expect him to implement massive piped water systems just because he is a politician, even though he does not hold any elective post or have a budget from the people?

It’s just plain annoying! We elected officials with huge budgets who do nothing, yet want to criticize a private citizen for doing the little he can?

In any case, a borehole, like what Peter Obi provided, is exactly what’s sensible for some rural areas at their current level of development. That’s just a fact and not an insult. Even my own village in Ijebu imushin would probably appreciate more boreholes right now that will give them immediate access to drinkable water than to wait on long promises from politicians that may not be fulfilled for years! Full disclosure: Myself and my siblings DID build a borehole for our village a few years back and they are eternally grateful for it. Or would then say we should go do major pipe-borne water project with our little resources ?

This whole dragging is even nonsensical because many high brow and prosperous areas even in urban cities rely on boreholes for survival!

FYI, even at my lagos house in a prestigious estate off Chevron in high-end Lekki, where the cheapest house is probably around N200 million now or over N8 million rent annually, we still rely on a borehole just like that one Peter Obi gifted those communities  at the back for our water because the government piped water does not flow regularly!!!

I also notice that many areas in Lekki, Victoria Island, and Ikoyi have similar boreholes. So why are the hypocrites complaining? Or are you all trying to say your house, village, or city, regardless of where you live, does not have a borehole?

You know, even in areas where you have government piped water, drinking water directly from the tap without a serious anti-dysentery medicine nearby is a risky endeavor.

Of course, our nation and its people deserve better in 2024. We deserve good piped water that is DRINKABLE, but we mostly do not have it due to government corruption and inefficiency. So, wherever we see someone willing to spend their money to provide a borehole, we must applaud it instead of criticizing them, perhaps because we disagree with their politics.

Stop conflating issues, people; it’s misguided and leave Peter Obi alone!

Ope Banwo

Mayor of Fadeyi
Founder, Naija Lives Matter