By Chuks Eke—
The Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe, has identified severe hunger, unemployment, insecurity, poor and inaccessible healthcare, and other developmental challenges as major impediments plaguing Nigeria.
He recalled that the leadership of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) paid a courtesy call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on July 28 to address persistent issues of national security and the severe economic plight of most Nigerians.
Unfortunately, some government officials politicized the visit by claiming the bishops spoke only for their congregations and that all was well in the country.
Speaking during his 2026 Ofala festival, themed “From Resilience to Progress,” Igwe Achebe declared, “Truth be told, the issues raised by the Catholic Bishops transcend the political, religious, and ethnic partisanship alleged by government officials.”
He appealed to President Tinubu to give urgent attention to the dire situation on the ground, particularly with national elections approaching in less than three months.
According to him, “Expectedly, the attention of the political class has increasingly turned to political positioning rather than governance. Democratic elections are opportunities for the electorate to select candidates who will deliver the best governance.
It is therefore imperative for non-partisan stakeholders, including traditional and religious institutions, town unions, and civil society organisations, to intensify advocacy, mobilization, and enlightenment for free and fair elections.”
“Furthermore, political parties must eschew violence and engage in healthy, issues-based campaigns to enable the electorate to make informed choices.
“Except for reports of violence and intimidation, the recent off-cycle governorship election in Osun State demonstrated robust campaigns, a massive voter turnout, and reasonable performance by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC),” Obi Achebe said.
Among those who attended the Ofala festival to pay homage to the monarch were 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); and Anambra State Commissioner for Youth Development, Hon. Patrick Agha-Mba.
In their respective speeches, Senator Nwoye and Commissioner Agha-Mba described the Obi of Onitsha as a first-class traditional ruler comparable to other eminent monarchs such as the Ooni of Ife, the Olubadan of Ibadan, the Sultan of Sokoto, the Emir of Kano, and the Oba of Lagos.
