The presidential candidate of the National Democratic Coalition (NDC), Peter Obi, has lauded veteran entertainer Charles Oputa, popularly known as Charly Boy, and renowned environmentalist and adventurer Newton Jibunoh for what he described as their enduring contributions to nation-building and public service.

 

Obi spoke after attending the launch of 999: The Memoir of Charly Boy in Lagos and visiting the newly inaugurated Newton Jibunoh Centre and Museum in Asaba.

 

He said Charly Boy was often misunderstood because of his unconventional public image, insisting that behind the controversial persona is “a thoughtful intellectual, compassionate human being and patriot committed to building a better Nigeria.”

 

The former Anambra State governor particularly commended Charly Boy’s campaign for men’s health through his foundation, noting that the entertainer had turned his personal battle with prostate cancer into a nationwide advocacy for early detection and improved access to treatment.

 

“Good health remains one of the strongest pillars of national development, and I will continue to support initiatives that improve the well-being of Nigerians,” Obi said.

 

On Jibunoh, Obi described the elder statesman as one of Nigeria’s living legends, whose courage and resilience continue to inspire generations.

 

Although he missed Jibunoh’s Mandela Day event with the theme, “Poverty and Inequality Are in Our Hands,” Obi said he deemed it necessary to pay him a personal visit at the newly established centre and museum in Asaba.

 

He recalled Jibunoh’s historic expeditions across the Sahara Desert to London, describing the journeys as remarkable feats that symbolised determination and perseverance.

 

Obi said the expeditions also underscored how much safer travel within Nigeria and across Africa once was, lamenting the country’s worsening insecurity.

 

According to him, Jibunoh’s experiences serve as a reminder of the urgent need to restore security, unity and prosperity in Nigeria.

 

He reaffirmed his conviction that “A New Nigeria is Possible.”