Peter Obi Narrates His Experience As He Tours US Cities Of Atlanta, Chicago And Washington DC
Peter Obi Reflects on Leadership During 3-Day USA Trip to Atlanta, Washington, and Chicago
Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has shared his reflections on leadership after a three-day working trip to the United States, covering Atlanta, Washington, and Chicago.
Obi, who departed Lagos on Tuesday, September 24, travelled with Delta Airlines, America’s oldest carrier, which has been operating for over 100 years.
Atlanta Stopover: Lessons from the World’s Busiest Airport
During his stop in Atlanta, Obi highlighted the scale and efficiency of Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the busiest airport in the world. The facility handles over 100 million passengers annually—about five times the combined traffic of all Nigerian airports.
The airport, owned by the City of Atlanta, generates about $32 billion yearly for the city’s economy, equivalent to Nigeria’s 2024 operational budget, and $70 billion for the Atlanta metropolitan area and Georgia State, nearly double Nigeria’s 2025 budget.
Leadership in Atlanta: Mayor Andre Dickens as an Example
Obi also drew attention to the governance structure in Atlanta. The city operates on an annual budget of about $3 billion (₦4.5 trillion), managed by its Mayor, Andre Dickens, a businessman-turned-politician. Dickens’ policies focus on public safety, tackling crime, creating opportunities for youth, and ensuring a minimum wage of $15 per hour for city council workers.
According to Obi, Dickens—estimated to be worth about $10 million—represents a leadership style rooted in humility and service.
No Entourage, No Sirens – A Sharp Contrast to Nigeria
Obi recounted travelling with Mayor Dickens on the same flight from Atlanta to Washington. To his surprise, the mayor boarded without any fanfare:
- No aides carrying his luggage
- No sirens or convoys
- No skipping of queues during boarding or disembarkation
- No public announcements of his presence
In contrast, Obi noted, Nigerian governors—most of whom manage budgets far smaller than Atlanta’s—and even local government chairmen with allocations less than 1% of Atlanta’s, often parade themselves with convoys, sirens, protocol officers, and banners.
Obi’s Call for Change in Nigeria
The Labour Party chieftain stressed that Nigeria must rethink its leadership culture if it hopes to progress.
“Our public conduct and behaviour must change. True leadership is about service, humility, and accountability, not unnecessary display. A New Nigeria is POssible,” Obi Said
Read his full text @PeterObi:
The USA Trip and Reflections on Leadership
I left Lagos yesterday, the 24th of Sept, for a 3-day trip to the USA, covering Washington and Chicago, with a stopover in Atlanta. I travelled with Delta Airlines, the first airline in the United States, which has been in existence for over 100 years.
We arrived at Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the busiest airport in the world. It handles over 100 million passengers annually—about five times the total traffic of all Nigerian airports combined. The airport is owned by the City of Atlanta and generates about $32 billion annually (roughly Nigeria’s 2024 operational budget) for the city, and $70 billion (almost twice Nigeria’s 2025 budget) for the Atlanta metropolitan area and the State of Georgia.
Atlanta City itself runs on an annual budget of about $3 billion (over ₦4.5 trillion). Its current Mayor, Mr Andre Dickens, was a businessman before going into politics. His key commitments include public safety, tackling crime, creating opportunities for young people, and ensuring a minimum of $15 an hour for council workers. He is estimated to be worth about $10 million.
Yesterday, after meeting Mayor Andre Dickens, we both travelled on the same flight to Washington. At Atlanta airport, on the plane, and upon arrival at Ronald Regan National Airport, there was no special announcement of his presence, no aides carrying his bags, and no jumping the queue during boarding or disembarkation.
In Nigeria, governors—most of whom oversee budgets smaller than Atlanta’s—and even local government chairmen, whose allocations are less than 1% of Atlanta’s, would have constituted a public nuisance with sirens, protocol officers, endless announcements, large entourages, and posters everywhere.
Our public conduct and behaviour must change.
A New Nigeria is POssible. -PO
