The Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Achebe, used the occasion of the 2026 Ofala festival to call on President Bola Tinubu to prioritise the nation’s most pressing social challenges.
During a speech at the traditional celebration, the monarch highlighted hunger, unemployment and insecurity as the three issues that must be addressed urgently by the federal government.
“The people of Onitsha and the wider nation are suffering from food shortages, joblessness and rising insecurity,” Igwe Achebe said, urging the president to focus on policies that will lift communities out of poverty.
Onitsha, a major commercial city in southeastern Nigeria, has long been a centre of trade and culture. The Obi’s appeal reflects growing concerns among citizens that the country’s economic and security problems are not being tackled swiftly enough.
While the statement was made in a ceremonial context, it underscores the role of traditional leaders in shaping national discourse on development and governance in Nigeria, the continent’s most populous country.
<small>Source: Punch Nigeria — read the original story there.</small>