Don’t name structure after me – Peter Obi tells cleric after N20m donation

Former Anambra State Governor and 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has turned down a proposal to have a hall at Shanahan College of Nursing Sciences, Nsukka, named in his honour.

Obi, who donated ₦20 million to support the school’s infrastructural development, was informed by the institution’s manager, Rev. Fr. Kelvin Caesar, that the event hall solely funded by him would be named after him.

However, Obi politely declined, stating that he was funding similar projects in over 50 institutions across Nigeria and did not think it appropriate for all of them to bear his name.

He stressed that his commitment to education, healthcare, and poverty reduction was driven by a desire to create a better future for Nigerian children, not for personal recognition.

According to him, philanthropy should not be about seeking fame but about genuine service to humanity.

He said: “I do it to serve humanity. The reason God blesses us with resources is to use them to improve the lives of others and not for self-glorification”.

Obi also reiterated his passion for supporting medical and allied disciplines, stressing their critical role in society. He noted that the cheque presented was part of his commitment for the previous year and assured the school of his continued support this year. “I will return”, was how he summed it up.

Earlier, the Catholic Bishop of Nsukka, Most Rev. Godfrey Onah, who is currently leading a retreat for the clergy of the Diocese of Bamenda, Cameroon, spoke through his representative, Rev. Fr. Dr. Miletus Ossai.

Ossai, who is the Coordinator of the Diocesan Health Services, described Obi as a symbol of integrity and honour, commending his commitment to human capital development, which he described as the most critical need for a thriving society.