The Federal Government and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu have been called upon to step up actions towards alleviating the current hardship and difficulties pervading the nation.

This appeal came from the Obi of Onitsha, His Majesty Igwe Alfred Nnaemeka Ugochukwu Achebe, (the Agbogidi), warning that the country’s socio-economic health has continued to deteriorate forcing many into antisocial conducts.

Igwe AchebeNnaemeka Alfred Achebe said the situation was worsening daily unlike claims by some top government functionaries that the country is making progress and becoming “fantom eldorado”.

He dismissed assertions by some members of President Tinubu’s cabinet that things were getting better, accusing them of turning a blind eye to the widespread hardship and insecurity across the country.

Igwe Achebe dropped the remarks in his 2026 Ofala held at Ime-Obi Onitsha palace grounds where he reflected on the country’s economic and security challenges before local and international dignitaries who turned up from all parts of the world.

According to him, “in my 2024 Ofala address, I remarked that the previous twelve months were marked by uncertainties following the general elections,”

He noted that the country’s socio-economic well-being had deteriorated further in 2024, with the hardship deepening in 2025 and pushing more Nigerians below the poverty line.Buy Maps

“I noted that the well-being of the polity has declined even more steeply in 2024. Unfortunately, the hardship has further deepened by 2025, thereby throwing more people below the poverty line,” he said.

Achebe, a noted international citizen cited a World Bank development update on Nigeria, which, according to him, indicated that about 104 million Nigerians had been classified as poor in 2023.

“The situation was worsened by unending insecurity in most parts of the country. I then called on the Government to make urgent provisions for the poorest in our society,” he said.

He recalled that on Tuesday, July 28, 2026, the leadership of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria paid a courtesy visit to President Tinubu, during which they raised concerns about persistent insecurity and the severe economic hardship confronting the majority of Nigerians.Buy Maps

“Unfortunately, some Government officials politicised the visit by claiming that the bishops spoke only for their congregation,” he said.

He disagreed with some ruling government officials who insisted that all was well in the country, despite the prevailing challenges confronting millions of citizens.

“The officials asserted that all was well in the country. But truth be told, the issues raised transcend political, religious and ethnic partisanship,” he stated.

Consequently, he observed that hunger, unemployment, inadequate access to medical services, insecurity and other deficiencies in human development had become widespread across the country, stressing the need for urgent and decisive government intervention.