JAVA, RAKYAT NEWS – Peter Gregory Obi, a prominent Nigerian politician, visited Solo, Central Java, on February 7, 2025, to meet with former Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi).

The purpose of the visit was to learn from Jokowi’s leadership and understand the factors behind Indonesia’s significant development. Obi was accompanied by Usra Hendra Harahap, the former Indonesian Ambassador to Nigeria, who helped facilitate the visit.

During their meeting, Obi highlighted the key lessons he had learned from Jokowi’s leadership journey. He praised Jokowi for his transformative role in Indonesia’s development, particularly in improving the country’s Human Development Index (HDI). Obi noted that under Jokowi’s leadership, Indonesia progressed from a mid-level HDI to a high level, a remarkable achievement that he attributed to Jokowi’s effective governance.

Obi explained that Indonesia’s progress under Jokowi was a result of strategic leadership decisions made throughout his career. He pointed out that Jokowi’s leadership had a clear impact at various stages, first as mayor, then as governor, and finally as president. Obi admired how Jokowi managed to improve Indonesia’s development through thoughtful policies and inclusive governance.

Usra Hendra Harahap also shared that Peter Obi enjoys widespread support, especially from Nigeria’s younger generation. Many of his supporters are drawn to his leadership style and his vision for a prosperous future. Usra explained that Obi was particularly interested in learning from Indonesia’s rapid growth and hoped to implement similar strategies in Nigeria, where development has also become a key political issue.

Beyond his meeting with Jokowi, Obi also engaged with other prominent Indonesian leaders, including former Vice President Jusuf Kalla and several government ministers. These discussions were aimed at understanding how Indonesia’s government and its leadership structure facilitated the country’s rapid growth and development. Usra emphasized that Obi was looking for practical lessons from Indonesia’s success story.

Obi’s visit was not only focused on learning about political strategies but also on understanding the broader social and economic transformations that occurred in Indonesia during Jokowi’s presidency. According to Usra, Obi wanted to gather information that could be applied to Nigeria’s own political and economic context, hoping to replicate some of Indonesia’s successes.

During their meeting, Jokowi shared his experiences from his time as mayor, governor, and president. He discussed the challenges he faced at each stage and how he navigated them, providing valuable insights into the leadership process. Jokowi emphasized that his leadership was not only about managing the country but also about fostering unity and ensuring that policies were inclusive and beneficial to all Indonesians.

Jokowi expressed his openness to sharing his leadership experiences with international visitors like Obi, recognizing the importance of global learning and exchange. He noted that as more foreign politicians sought to learn from Indonesia’s development, it demonstrated the effectiveness of Indonesia’s leadership model. Jokowi’s ability to guide the country through significant transformation serves as an example of how effective governance can create lasting positive change. (Uki Ruknuddin)