Obi of Onitsha Raises Alarm Over Rising Poverty and Insecurity

In his royal message for the 2026 Ofala festival, Obi of Onitsha Igwe Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe warned that poverty, economic hardship and insecurity were worsening in Nigeria. He cited a World Bank update stating that about 104 million Nigerians were poor in 2023 and urged President Bola Tinubu to address citizens’ needs urgently. Ahead of the 2027 general elections, Achebe called for peaceful, issue-based campaigns and free and credible polls. He particularly urged people in the South-East to vote, warning that abstention could deepen the region’s political marginalisation.