Former presidential candidate and Labour Party stalwart, Peter Obi, has criticized the manner in which President Bola Tinubu conducted his recent condolence visit to Benue State, describing it as a “carnival” rather than a solemn moment of national mourning.
In a statement posted on his official X (formerly Twitter) handle on Thursday, Obi expressed disappointment at what he called the country’s growing insensitivity to human suffering, especially in the wake of recent tragedies that claimed over 200 lives in both Benue and Niger States.
“We pleaded that the President should show leadership and visit Benue and Niger States in the spirit of deep national mourning,” Obi stated, referencing the brutal massacre in Benue and deadly flooding in Niger. “But what we saw was not a reflective visit, it was a celebration.”
Obi lamented that the President arrived at the affected communities in celebratory attire, not in mourning clothes, and was received with pomp and pageantry more fitting for a road commissioning ceremony than a condolence visit.
“What should have been a solemn moment to comfort grieving families was turned into a political display. Children who lost classmates were lined up in the rain to sing and dance, while the nation should have been weeping,” he said.
He further criticized the Benue State Government for declaring a public holiday not for prayer or mourning, but to organize fanfare in honor of the visit.
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According to Obi, such actions send the wrong signal about the nation’s priorities and moral compass. “We have tragically arrived at a point where condolence visits have become carnivals. A time meant for silence and solemnity is now polluted with banners, music, and rehearsed spectacles,” he noted.
The former Anambra governor argued that resources spent on organizing the event could have been better used to provide food, temporary shelters, medical aid, and trauma counseling for victims and survivors.
While drawing comparison with global leaders, Obi noted that South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa and India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi have, in times of national tragedy, demonstrated true empathy and leadership through quiet, respectful visits and swift action, without fanfare or political optics.
“This is not how any compassionate nation behaves,” Obi added. “Enough of this culture of impunity. We are not at war, yet our nation is bleeding, and we are clapping.”
Obi, in his statement however, call for national reflection and accountability, stating, “These were human beings, children, mothers, fathers, whose blood cries out for justice. When sad incidents like this turn into festivals, our nation is losing its soul.”
The President had visited Benue on Wednesday following outrage over the killings in Guma Local Government Area and the massive floods in Mokwa, Niger State.
