Former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi, has launched a scathing criticism of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s recent visit to Benue State, describing it as an ill-timed display of “optics over empathy” amid the grief of a community reeling from deadly violence.
Obi’s reaction comes in the aftermath of the president’s visit on Wednesday to Yelewata in Guma Local Government Area, where about 200 residents were recently killed in attacks allegedly carried out by armed herders. The violence, widely believed to be part of the ongoing struggle over land rights in the state, has plunged the region into deep mourning.
In a strongly worded post on his official X (formerly Twitter) handle, Obi faulted the tone and style of the visit, accusing Tinubu of turning what should have been a solemn moment of national mourning into a festive spectacle.
“This was not a condolence visit, but a carnival,” Obi wrote. “At a time when children are burying their classmates, and entire communities are shattered, our President arrived in a celebratory agbada, suited more for commissioning roads than standing with the bereaved.”
Obi also condemned the declaration of a public holiday in the state to enable preparations for the presidential visit. According to him, instead of creating a space for mourning, the government opted for pageantry. “Schools were shut. Children who should have been grieving were instead made to sing and dance under the rain for the President. In what kind of country does this happen?” he queried.
Citing examples from global leaders, Obi recalled how South African President Cyril Ramaphosa visited flood victims in Mthatha with dignified silence, and how Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi responded solemnly to a tragic crash. He said such leaders modeled empathy and seriousness during national tragedies—qualities he said were missing from Tinubu’s Benue visit.
“We have tragically arrived at a point where condolence visits have become carnivals,” he lamented. “This is not how any compassionate nation behaves.”
Obi called for a complete redirection of resources towards providing tangible relief to the victims—such as food, shelter, medical assistance, and trauma care. He warned that continuing to politicize grief risks robbing Nigeria of its moral compass.
“Tragedy is not an opportunity for celebration,” Obi emphasized. “We must build a new Nigeria where compassion, justice, and genuine empathy lead the way.”
