The Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe, has called on President Bola Tinubu to take urgent steps to address poverty, insecurity, unemployment and the rising cost of living in Nigeria.
The monarch made the appeal in his 2026 Ofala festival message, titled “Celebrating 500+ Years of the Onitsha Monarchy,” where he highlighted the economic and security challenges affecting Nigerians.
Achebe cited a World Bank report which put the number of Nigerians classified as poor at about 104 million in 2023. He warned that hunger, unemployment, inadequate healthcare and insecurity continued to pose serious challenges to the country’s development.
The monarch also expressed concern about the growing focus on political manoeuvring ahead of the 2027 general elections, urging politicians to prioritise governance and the welfare of citizens.
He called on political parties to avoid violence and conduct peaceful, issue-based campaigns, while urging the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure free, fair and credible elections.
Achebe further appealed to residents of the South-East to overcome voter apathy and participate actively in the polls, warning that low voter turnout could worsen the region’s political marginalisation.
He stressed the need for Nigerians to look beyond ethnic, religious and political differences in addressing the country’s challenges, calling for practical solutions that would improve living conditions.
On community development, the traditional ruler called for a comprehensive review of the Onitsha Advancement Foundation (ONAF) after five years of operation.
He said the assessment should examine the foundation’s achievements, identify gaps and determine areas requiring improvement to strengthen its contribution to the development of Onitsha.
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