Former Governor of Anambra State and 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, has addressed the wave of public reactions trailing his recent participation in a humanitarian event where he was seen serving food to less-privileged Nigerians in Imo State.

Obi, who clarified the context in a personal statement issued on Sunday, said the gesture — which some critics have attempted to politicize — was in line with his enduring belief that true leadership begins with humility and service.

The event in question, known as the Jubilee of Hope, was held in Imo State and described by Obi as a \"private service event\" that he attended without media invite or publicity. According to him, the goal of the Jubilee was simple: to remind the privileged of their responsibility to serve those less fortunate.

\"That event was not about me. It was called the Jubilee of Hope, and its purpose is straightforward — to remind us all that true leadership is service, and that those who have must never forget those who do not,\" Obi stated.

He expressed surprise that images of him serving food — shared by third parties not affiliated with his team — had sparked online controversy, especially among what he termed \"the usual naysayers and paid agents\".

 “It’s sounding strange that I was seen serving food to people,” he said. “But let me be clear: service is not special, it is expected.”

Obi further revealed that several other dignitaries joined in the act of service, including Cardinal John Onaiyekan, Senator Osita Izunaso, and Dr. A.B.C. Orjiako, former Chairman of Seplat Petroleum. All of them, he noted, served quietly and without fanfare.

He used the moment to draw a stark contrast between his own values and what he described as a growing detachment from humility among Nigerian leaders.

“I always served others during events when I was governor. Even now, I do not have a house help. I sweep, I clean, I serve my guests myself — because humility is not a campaign strategy for me; it is a way of life.”

Obi said his extended presence at the event was due to personal requests from many of the poor attendees, who specifically asked that he serve them directly — a request he could not turn down.

Calling for a shift in national consciousness, Obi argued that symbolic gestures like the Jubilee of Hope should evolve into cultural norms, where leadership is defined by empathy, not elitism.

 “We cannot speak of building a New Nigeria while ignoring the hungry, the forgotten, and the poor,” he said. “Hope must not be seasonal, and dignity must not be a privilege, but a right.”