Obi of Onitsha laments N7.6tn S’East economic loss to insecurity

Achebe

The Obi of Onitsha, Alfred Achebe, has cautioned Nigerian politicians against abandoning governance in pursuit of political alliances ahead of the 2027 general elections, warning that such actions could worsen the country’s economic and social crises.

According to a Vanguard report on Friday, the Anambra monarch disclosed this at the 2025 Ofala Festival in Onitsha.

There, the monarch lamented that political attention across the country had already shifted toward 2027 while millions of Nigerians continue to grapple with hunger, poverty, and insecurity.

“The attention of the political class has become literally diverted to the 2027 general elections. New alliances are being forged as political fortunes rise and fall.

“There is a distinct impression that these efforts are largely for the self-preservation and material benefit of those in the game,” Achebe said.

He expressed concern that ordinary Nigerians were paying the price of neglect as hardship deepens nationwide despite ongoing economic reforms.

Quoting the latest World Bank report, the monarch noted: “Our poverty rate has risen from 40 percent in 2018 to 46 percent in 2023, translating to about 104 million Nigerians now classified as poor.“The reality on the ground is dire. The unending violence in most parts of the country continues to affect the agricultural sector very seriously.”

Achebe urged the government to ensure that relief materials and social support reach the intended beneficiaries directly, without being hindered by bureaucracy or corruption.

Turning to the South East, the monarch expressed deep concern over the continued insecurity and its economic impact on the region, describing the recent conviction of Finland-based separatist agitator Simon Ekpa as a potential turning point.

“The scourge of violence and kidnapping in the South East continues to mutate in different forms. We pray that the recent conviction in Finland of Simon Ekpa will contribute to the general reduction of violent crime in the region,” he said.