2024 OFALA FESTIVAL: ONITSHA MONARCH BEMOANS DEVASTATING IMPACT OF NIGERIA’S ECONOMY, INSECURITY 

By Juliana Nwachukwu/Ngozi Okoli/Anakor Nkiru :

The Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe last Friday, expressed deep concern over the devastating impact of the nation’s economy and insecurity.

Achebe, in his 2024 Ofala message tagged: “Courage Perseverance, Self-reliance” which he translated into Igbo language as , “Onye kwe, Chi’e ekwe”, said the combined effects of the duo of poor economy and insecurity are the spiraling ride in the cost of living, business closures, loss of employment, a general feeling of hopelessness and lack of trust in the government.

According to the monarch, “At last year Ofala, I stated that the previous 12 months were marked by uncertainties occasioned by the aftermath of the general elections, further exacerbated by the continuing insecurity and the effects of the sudden removal of the fuel price subsidy.

” Unfortunately, the well-being of the polity has declined even more steeply in the last 12 months, leading to a 10-day national protest in August 2024 tagged: “End bad governance”, said Obi Achebe.

He expressed disappointment that the federal government had rejected proposals aimed at restoring Nigeria’s former glory. These proposals included devolution of power, downsizing the government, addressing the interconnected issues of insecurity, agriculture, and high cost of living, mitigating the impact of fuel price hikes on the cost of living, and tackling bad governance fueled by corruption and the lavish lifestyles of political leaders.

He therefore called on President Ahmed Bola Tinubu to consider alternative views and urgently convene a non-partisan national economic and security summit to forge a collective way forward for the country.

He also decried the enormous economic and social impact on Ndigbo who continue to suffer at the hands of unknown gunmen who have been terrorizing the community, killing, maiming, and kidnapping their own people for ransom, causing widespread fear and disruption. The situation has forced schools, markets, and public facilities to shut down every Monday in compliance with the sit-at-home order.

* Nwachukwu, Okoli and Anakor are of the Ministry of Information, Anambra State *