By Victor Nwegede
When Comrade Jeremiah Obaji set out from Ikorodu, Lagos, on the early morning of August 21, 2025, he carried no luxury, no entourage, and no clear certainty of what lay ahead. All he had was a small bag, a strong faith, and an overwhelming desire to say thank you to the man he once opposed: Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru of Ebonyi State.
For 17 days through highways, villages, forests, and cities — the 37-year-old businessman trudged on foot, covering more than 600 kilometers until he finally arrived at Government House, Abakaliki, on September 7, 2025. By then, his feet were blistered, his face weather-beaten, and his clothes torn from rain and friction. But his spirit was high.
“I didn’t know I was criticizing my savior,” he said, his voice breaking with emotion. I fought him on social media, not knowing he would be the one to bring peace to my community. This trek was my sacrifice of gratitude. Peace is priceless," Obaji stated.
Obaji, a trader in plumbing and building materials in Lagos, is no stranger to controversy. Known online for his bold commentaries, he had been one of Nwifuru’s fiercest critics before the Governor’s election in 2023. Like many, he had doubted whether the new administration under the watch of Governor Nwifuru could resolve the long-drawn Effium crisis in Ohaukwu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, a conflict that had turned neighbor against neighbor since 2021.
The war, which pitted Ezza and Effium brothers against each other, left hundreds dead, homes razed, and livelihoods destroyed. Families fled, children dropped out of school, and businesses collapsed. Obaji’s own relatives, including his parents and in-laws, were displaced to Abakaliki town and other cities, outside their hometown.
“I developed high blood pressure,” he confessed. “The burden of caring for my displaced family nearly crushed me. We lost everything. I never thought peace would return," he further said.
But in 2024, Governor Nwifuru stunned even his critics by brokering a peace deal. Through painstaking consultations, he carved Effium into five autonomous communities, giving each group recognition and a sense of belonging. The tensions eased, and displaced families began returning home.
“When I saw what he did, I knew I had been wrong. And I thought of the best way to show gratitude. King Solomon said he would not offer God a sacrifice that cost him nothing. For me, trekking from Lagos to Abakaliki was the only way I could demonstrate how priceless peace is," he said.
Obaji’s trek was both grueling and transformative. With only a pair of jeans, a shirt, and his phone guided by Google Maps, he set out on what would become the defining journey of his life.
Blisters tore into his legs by the second day. At one point, he was forced to discard his jeans because of painful bruises on his thighs. He endured downpours that drenched him to the bone, slept in unsafe shelters, and ate cheap meals that left him sick. Insects bit him, and on some nights, fear of bandits and herders kept him awake.
Yet, amid the pain came moments of hope. In Okuzu, Anambra, he encountered a secondary school classmate once on the opposing side of the Effium conflict. They embraced and wept, acknowledging that both communities had been losers in the war. “That meeting healed me,” Obaji said.
In Asaba, Delta State, Ebonyians he had never met before gathered to welcome him. Inspired by his journey, they formed a new association to unite indigenes of the state living in Delta.
In Enugu, he was hosted by members of the Anioma community. “It was a journey of reconciliation,” he reflected.
But it also revealed the scars of conflict. In Ugwuoba, he met three Ebonyi teenagers — 14, 15, and 16 years old, working odd jobs, hungry and ragged. When he asked why they weren’t in school, they said they had nobody to sponsor them. He gave them money and promised to follow up. “That broke me,” he said. “Our children should be in classrooms, not begging for survival," he also recommended.
As word of his trek spread on social media, Obaji’s courage began to inspire admirers across Nigeria. Ebonyians in Lagos, Onitsha, Asaba, and even Abuja cheered him on, offering encouragement, prayers, and logistics support.
Before he even completed the journey, pledges began to pour in. Some promised him a car donation to ease his mobility. Others offered landed property to honor his sacrifice. Several well-wishers pledged financial gifts, describing him as a “symbol of courage and peace.”
“I didn’t expect it,” Obaji admitted. “I didn’t set out for money or gifts. I just wanted to thank my Governor. But to see people respond with so much love only shows that peace resonates deeply with our people. Everyone is tired of war," he asserted.
On September 7, 2025, weary but fulfilled, Obaji entered Abakaliki, where a crowd of supporters and curious onlookers gathered to witness his arrival. The Government House rolled out the welcome.
Governor Nwifuru, represented by his Chief of Staff, Prof. Emmanuel Echiegu, hailed Obaji’s courage and sacrifice, describing his 17-day trek as a testimony to the dividends of peace under the People’s Charter of Needs.
In a move that drew applause across the state, the Governor announced a 10 million Naira gift for Obaji partly to support his health after the grueling trek and partly to encourage his vision of peace-building.
Despite the gifts and recognition, Obaji insists his mission is not personal enrichment.
“I am not hungry. God has blessed me in business. I live in my own house at Lagos State. What I want now is to use this support to set up a Peace Foundation,” he explained.
The foundation, according to him, will educate Ebonyi youths on non-violence, assist children displaced by war, and partner with traditional rulers and religious leaders to sustain harmony across communities, not only in Ebonyi State, but across Nigeria and beyond.
“The elders may declare war, but it is the youth who fight and die. We must change that. We must become ambassadors of peace," he declared.
Obaji’s story mirrors Ebonyi’s own transformation. A state once synonymous with communal clashes, cutlass battles, and endless recriminations is slowly finding healing under Governor Nwifuru’s leadership. By creating new autonomous communities and insisting on dialogue, the Governor has achieved what previous administrations could not: restoring trust among neighbors.
For Obaji, the lesson is simple: leadership matters. “We must stop taking laws into our hands. If someone offends you, report to the police. Don’t generalize crime along tribal lines. Peace is the foundation of development. Investors will not come to a troubled land,” he urged.
Obaji’s transformation from a fierce critic to a loyal admirer of Governor Nwifuru is striking. Once his harshest voice online, he is now among his loudest cheerleaders. For him, the journey was not only physical but spiritual — a pilgrimage from doubt to belief.
“I have found peace within myself,” he said quietly. “And I want to help others find peace too," he added.
With gifts pledged, recognition secured, and his Peace Foundation in the works, Obaji’s story is far from over. His admirers believe he represents a new spirit of sacrifice in Ebonyi politics — one that prioritizes harmony over hostility.
For Ebonyians, his trek is a reminder that peace is not abstract; it is lived, felt, and, sometimes, walked for — step by painful step.
As dusk fell on Government House the day he arrived, Obaji looked back on the 17 days behind him and smiled. “If possible,” he joked, “I would trek back to Lagos and return again. Because peace is worth every step.”
