Obi vows to visit Edo, Donates ₦50 Million to CKC Onitsha
By Ndukaku Ihe
Former Governor of Anambra State and 2023 Presidential Candidate of Labour Party (LP), Mr. Peter Obi, on Thursday presented a cheque of ₦50 million to his alma mater, Christ the King College (CKC), Onitsha, for infrastructural development.
The presentation came even as he vowed to visit Edo despite the threat to him by the state governor, Monday Okpebholo not to enter the state
The donation, made in collaboration with some fellow Old Boys of the school, was aimed at supporting educational development and improving learning conditions at the institution.
Speaking during the presentation, Obi noted that the gesture was motivated by gratitude to the institution that shaped the formative years of both him and the other Old Boys who contributed to the donation.
His words: “This school helped form and shape the values I and many others still hold dear today – discipline, moral grounding, and academic excellence. Supporting it is a way of giving back”, he said.
He used the occasion to call on fellow alumni of CKC and other schools to support their alma maters in whatever way they can, noting that the burden of educational development should not rest on government alone.
The Archbishop of Onitsha, Most Rev. Valerian Okeke, who received the donation on behalf of the school, commended Obi and the other Old Boys for their commitment to education and nation-building. He offered prayers for them and urged others to emulate their example. Principal of the College, Rev. Fr. Celestine Arinze Okafor overwhelmed by the gesture extolled Obi’s virtues and thanked him for his consistent supports to the school.
Reacting to questions from journalists on recent threats by the governor of Edo State, Senator Monday Okpebholo, who stated that his safety will not be guaranteed if he visited his state without clearance, Obi said he was not afraid of threats, revealing that he receives threats every day.
He added that if he had need to be in Edo State to make a donation, he would not hesitate to go there, as threats mean nothing to him any longer.
He said: “Threats don’t make any meaning to me. I receive threats every day. Do you know how many times I have been threatened all over Nigeria? I receive threats everyday actually, the ones you know about was because it was vocal, but I will not be afraid.
“If I have the opportunity to go to Benin and make donations again, trust me, I will. I have always said that we should deemphasize politics and think more of how to invest in the people. I went to Benin to invest in people because if they have good doctors, good nurses, they will have a better life.
“What the governor should have done is to complement what I was doing in his state instead of threatening me. He should be sincerely grateful.
“I’m in school today to make a donation, I’m going to be in school somewhere in Nigeria tomorrow too. I’m going to be in school on Saturday, I’m going to be in other schools on Sunday and even on Monday. Forget about the threat, it’s a waste of time.”
Also speaking at the event, the Senior Prefect of the school, Master Ejike Ekene, expressed gratitude to Mr. Obi, describing him as a role model and an inspiration to students.
