By Joyce Ekeh
The Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe, has warned that severe hunger, unemployment, insecurity and inadequate access to healthcare are worsening the plight of Nigerians, urging President Bola Tinubu to give urgent attention to the country’s mounting challenges.
Achebe, who spoke at his 2026 Ofala Festival with the theme, “From Resilience to Progress,” said the concerns raised by the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) over national security and economic hardship transcended political, religious and ethnic divisions.
He faulted attempts by some government officials to politicise the bishops’ engagement with the President, insisting that the issues raised reflected the broader realities confronting Nigerians.
“Truth be told, the issues raised by the Catholic Bishops transcend political, religious and ethnic partisanship as the government officials alleged,” he said.
The traditional ruler appealed to Tinubu to respond urgently to the difficulties facing citizens, particularly as the country approaches its forthcoming national elections.
He expressed concern that the attention of politicians was increasingly shifting from governance to political calculations, warning that the electoral process must remain an opportunity for Nigerians to choose leaders capable of delivering effective governance.
“Expectedly, the attention of the political class has increasingly turned to political positioning and away from governance. Democratic elections are opportunities for the electorate to select the candidates that would deliver the best governance,” Achebe said.
He called on non-partisan stakeholders, including traditional rulers, religious institutions, town unions and civil society organisations, to intensify advocacy, mobilisation and public enlightenment to promote credible elections.
According to him, such efforts are necessary to ensure that voters make informed choices and that the electoral process reflects the will of the people.
Achebe also urged political parties to shun violence and conduct campaigns centred on issues affecting Nigerians rather than resorting to intimidation and other practices capable of undermining democratic participation.
“The political parties must abhor violence and engage in healthy issues-based campaigns to enable the electorate make the right choices,” he said.
Reflecting on recent off-cycle governorship elections, the Obi of Onitsha said the Osun State poll demonstrated what could be achieved through robust campaigns and strong voter participation, while noting concerns over reported violence and intimidation.
He also acknowledged what he described as a reasonable performance by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) during the election.
The Ofala Festival attracted prominent political figures and government officials, including the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, Peter Obi; Senator Tony Nwoye, representing Anambra North Senatorial District; Hon. Afam Victor Ogene, representing Ogbaru Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives; and Anambra State Commissioner for Youth Development, Hon. Patrick Agha-Mba.
In separate speeches, Nwoye and Agha-Mba praised Achebe’s standing among traditional rulers in Nigeria, comparing his status to that of prominent monarchs, including the Ooni of Ife, the Olubadan of Ibadan, the Sultan of Sokoto, the Emir of Kano and the Oba of Lagos.
