Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi, has linked Nigeria’s persistent underdevelopment to decades of poor investment in education, calling on the government to prioritise human capital as the foundation for national growth.
Obi stated this on Friday during a visit to St. John Vienney Science College, Ukwulu, Anambra State, where he celebrated the school’s victory at an international science and debate competition held in June 2025. The school emerged as the winner in the UK-Nigeria inter-school science debate, defeating several international institutions.
Presenting a ₦10 million cheque to support the school’s work, Obi described education as “the real engine of national development,” and commended the school’s students and management for demonstrating the potential of Nigerian youth when given the right environment. “The biggest asset of any nation is its people, human capital. Moreover, the most meaningful investment is in education,” Obi said. “If oil made countries rich, Venezuela would be the richest in the world. They have ten times more oil than Nigeria. Nevertheless, it is not about oil, it is about knowledge.”
He praised the school’s proprietor, Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Obimma, for filling the gap left by government neglect. “This is the problem with Nigeria—our leaders are too busy celebrating and consuming. Meanwhile, people like you are doing what the government should be doing,” Obi added. He urged the students to remain focused, noting that education remains the most reliable path to excellence. Continue working hard. Education is the only sure way to become great and stand out in life,” he said. The visit comes as education stakeholders continue to push for more investment in learning, research, and youth development, amid widespread criticism of budgetary allocations to the sector.
