Nigeria-born Peter Obi and the presidential candidate of the labour party has been conferred with Honorary Citizenship in Dallas, Texas. The recognition was given to him by the Mayor of Dallas, Eric Lynn Johnson at an event held in the Dallas City Hall on Tuesday, October 4.
Speaking at the event, Johnson asserted that Obi, having been conferred with the honorary citizenship, shall uphold a place of high esteem in the minds of the people of Dallas city.
“Without a piece of doubt, with this conferment, you shall hold a place of high esteem in the minds and hearts of the people of this great city (Dallas). Congratulations!,” he declared.
“I proclaimed him to be an Honorary Citizen of Dallas, and I look forward to welcoming him back to our city in the years to come.”
What is an Honorary Citizenship?
An Honorary Citizenship is an exceptional and rare form of recognition. It is granted by a state as a gesture of gratitude for services rendered to the state to earn it.
It is a long-term relationship that is often linked to diplomacy and policy. It is not a form of immigration. It does not give the recipient any additional rights or privileges beyond those afforded to the general population. Neither does it provide any special travel or work permits.
Also, does not lead to or give one a path to citizenship. Because It is not a legally binding document. The most common reasons for conferring an honorary citizenship is to recognize exceptional service to the state or as a gesture of gratitude for services rendered to the state.
Peter Obi’s Achievements & Responsibilities
Peter Obi has a long history of involvement in the private and public sector, where he has worked to promote economic development and education.
Peter Obi was born in Onitsha in 1961, graduated from the University of Nigeria in 1984. Afterwards he ventured into business and banking, eventually moving up in his career to hold several high-ranking executive positions at banks.
In the early 2000s, Obi has become the chairman of Fidelity Bank before leaving the position to contest for the Anambra governorship election under the All Progressives Grand Alliance.
The election was rigged and his opponent was unlawfully declared the winner. He went to court to defend his mandate and was eventually declared winner by the court in 2006 after three years of legal battles.
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Key Messages From Peter Obi
- When they go low, we go high.
- Stand up for your rights, don’t sit down for your wrongs.
- Seize the opportunity. – Get engaged in democracy.
- Get involved in the community.
- Conserve the environment.
- Look at the bigger picture.
- We don’t have to be best friends, but we do need to be better neighbours.
- Be informed, be educated.
- Vote!
Final Words
Peter Obi’s journey to receiving this honor is a beautiful example of how a Nigerian can make a difference in his community.
Amidst the current anti-black sentiment permeating some US communities, Nigerian-Americans are doing the work of shifting the narrative.
This honour is not only given to Peter Obi, but to the people of Nigeria and their culture as a whole. The honour will go on to show the world that the Nigerian culture is one that promotes peace.
