The Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe, Agbogidi, has called on President Bola Tinubu to urgently address worsening economic hardship, hunger, unemployment, poor healthcare and insecurity, warning that the condition of many Nigerians has continued to deteriorate.
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Achebe made the call on Friday during his 25th Ofala Festival in Onitsha, Anambra State, where he also urged people of the South-East to overcome what he described as a history of electoral apathy and participate actively in the 2027 general elections. His remarks were also published in his official 2026 Ofala message.
Reflecting on the state of the nation, the monarch recalled that he had previously raised concerns about deteriorating living conditions and the growing number of Nigerians falling below the poverty line.
He referred to a World Bank development update which had put the number of Nigerians classified as poor in 2023 at about 104 million, saying insecurity across several parts of the country had compounded the economic difficulties facing citizens.
Achebe said the situation had worsened rather than improved, with hardship pushing more people into poverty.
He also recalled the July 28, 2026 visit by the leadership of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria to President Tinubu, during which the bishops raised concerns over insecurity and the severe economic difficulties confronting many Nigerians.
According to the monarch, attempts by some government officials to portray the bishops’ concerns as limited to their congregation missed the wider national significance of the issues.
“But truth be told, the issues raised transcend political, religious and ethnic partisanship,” Achebe said.
He identified hunger, unemployment, poor and inaccessible healthcare and insecurity as problems affecting Nigerians across political, religious and ethnic lines, and urged the President to give them urgent attention.
Achebe also expressed concern that, with the 2027 general elections approaching, increasing attention among politicians was shifting from governance to political positioning and re-election calculations.
“The national elections are barely three months away,” he said, noting that democratic elections should provide citizens with an opportunity to choose candidates capable of delivering good governance.
The monarch consequently called on traditional institutions, religious organisations, town unions, civil society groups and other non-partisan stakeholders to intensify voter education and mobilisation while advocating free and fair elections.
He equally urged political parties to reject violence and conduct issue-based campaigns that would allow voters to make informed choices.
Turning specifically to the South-East, Achebe warned that the region could not continue to stay away from elections and subsequently complain about political marginalisation.
“We cannot stay away from elections and turn around to complain of marginalisation,” he said, adding that South-East voters must come out and participate in choosing their preferred candidates.
He stressed that participation in the electoral process remained critical to the region’s ability to influence political outcomes and representation.
Achebe also assessed the recent Osun State governorship election, saying that despite reports of violence and intimidation, the exercise witnessed robust campaigning, substantial voter participation and what he described as a reasonable performance by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
He said the Osun election had therefore become an important reference point ahead of the general elections, placing greater expectations on INEC to deliver credible outcomes.
“The election has become a marker for the coming national elections and all eyes are on INEC to deliver free and fair outcomes,” the monarch said.
Speaking on the broader message of the Ofala celebration, Achebe emphasised perseverance, hard work and deliberate progress, linking the message to the economic and social challenges confronting both the Onitsha community and Nigeria generally.
He recalled that previous Ofala themes had similarly focused on resilience, unity, courage and self-reliance, saying the messages were intended to encourage the people to confront adversity while continuing to work towards progress.
The 2026 Ofala marked Achebe’s 25th celebration on the throne of Ezechima and formed part of activities celebrating the enduring history and cultural heritage of the Onitsha monarchy.
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