The presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 Nigerian presidential election, Peter Obi, has shared details of his spiritual journey to the Vatican City, where he and his wife offered prayers for Nigeria’s unity, peace, and good leadership.
Obi, who recently returned from a two-day trip to the United States, explained that his visit to Rome was part of a personal pilgrimage marking the Jubilee Year, a Catholic event celebrated every twenty-five years. He said the pilgrimage was an opportunity for reflection and intercession for Nigeria, especially as the country continues to face economic hardship and social division.
“After my 2-day trip to the United States – where I addressed the Friendship Club on Saturday, 4 October, and spoke at the 1st Ubuntu African Youth Assembly in Washington on Sunday, 5 October – I departed that same night for Rome, arriving on 6th October to join my dearest wife, who was already in Rome waiting for me,” Obi said.
According to him, the Jubilee Year presented a chance to pray for forgiveness and renewal. “My dearest wife and I chose to dedicate our prayers to Nigeria. With hearts full of gratitude, we thanked God that, despite our differences and the many challenges faced over sixty-five years of independence, He has kept us together as one nation – a rare and profound blessing for which we remain deeply thankful,” he said.
The former Anambra State governor said they prayed for divine mercy and for the emergence of selfless and competent leaders. “We sought forgiveness for our national transgressions and implored God to intervene in the suffering of the Nigerian people. We prayed for the injection into our political landscape selfless and compassionate leaders whose hearts He would touch – leaders who would be truthful in word and deed, altruistic in service, and committed to using public resources for the common good,” he stated.
Obi added that their prayers also focused on leaders who possess competence, capacity, character, and commitment to the welfare of all citizens. “Leaders who understand that they were not created to live in isolation but in community with others, and must ensure that actions are for the benefit of the community,” he said.
During their pilgrimage, Obi and his wife visited several significant sites in Rome. “On Tuesday, the 7th of October, as part of our pilgrimage, we passed through three Holy Doors of the four major Papal Basilicas in Rome, praying at each that God would open the door of His mercy to Nigeria,” he said.
“At St. Mary Major, we prayed, passed through the Holy Door, and reflected at the grave of the late Pope Francis. From there, we journeyed to the Papal Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls, where Cardinal James Harvey warmly received us, led us through the Holy Door, and shared the basilica’s rich history and the deep significance of the Jubilee Year,” he added.
Obi said the pilgrimage continued to the Papal Basilica of St. John Lateran, dedicated to Saints John the Baptist and John the Evangelist. “Together with other pilgrims, we passed through the Holy Door and joined in prayer. We then proceeded to the Scala Sancta – the Holy Steps which Jesus ascended before Pontius Pilate – where we prayed with profound reverence, completing a day of deep spiritual reflection at some of Rome’s most sacred sites,” he said.
The former presidential candidate also recounted his experience at St. Peter’s Basilica, where he attended the Papal General Audience. “On Wednesday the 8th of October, we rose early for the Papal General Audience at St. Peter’s Basilica, where we were blessed to hear the Catechesis of His Holiness on hope, perseverance, and steadfast faith in times of hardship,” Obi noted.
“Afterwards, we passed through the final Holy Door at St. Peter’s Basilica, praying and reflecting deeply on God’s mercy, thus completing our pilgrimage through the four doors with hearts filled with gratitude and renewed faith,” he added.
Obi confirmed that he and his wife were also received in audience by His Holiness, Pope Leo XIV. “At St. Peter’s, we were privileged to be received in audience by His Holiness, Pope Leo XIV @Pontifex, to whom we humbly appealed for prayers for our beloved country, Nigeria,” he said.
He also mentioned meeting several Nigerian pilgrims who shared in the prayers for the nation. “Along the way, we met several Nigerian pilgrims: men and women of faith whose faces shone with quiet hope. Together, we renewed our trust in God’s divine mercy and in the promise of a renewed and better Nigeria,” Obi said.
He concluded by urging Nigerians not to lose faith but to take responsibility for national progress. “I believe fervently in the power and providence of God. Yet, as we lift our nation before Him in prayer, we must not surrender to fatalism. Faith does not absolve us of responsibility; rather, it calls us to action,” he stated.
“As Nigerians, we must each continue to do our part – with honesty, diligence, and love – for the healing and progress of our country,” he said.