Obi of Onitsha Tasks Agbalanze, Otu Odu on Collective Action to Revitalise Onitsha
By Osegbue Patricia
His Majesty, Igwe Nnaemeka Alfred Achebe, the Obi of Onitsha, has called on members of Agbalanze Onitsha and Otu Odu Onitsha to channel their collective influence, resources and goodwill towards the sustainable development and future of the Onitsha community. The monarch made the call on Sept. 16, during a meeting with members of the two revered societies at Ime Obi Onicha.
Addressing the gathering, Agbogidi expressed concern over the huge financial resources reportedly spent on Ozo and Odu title-taking ceremonies, questioning how much of the estimated N35 million to N45 million spent on such ceremonies is ultimately reinvested in projects that benefit the community.
The Obi also raised concerns over some of the social challenges confronting Onitsha, including drug abuse, teenage and unwanted pregnancies, unclean roads and what he described as general social decadence.
He stressed the importance of collective responsibility, stronger parenting and deliberate investment in the younger generation, noting that the future of Onitsha would depend significantly on the willingness of its people to confront the challenges facing the community.
Reiterating his earlier call for greater economic accountability, Agbogidi advocated the establishment of a mechanism to determine the volume of financial resources coming into Onitsha, those leaving the community and ways of retaining and reinvesting more resources locally.
He maintained that members of the community, particularly those belonging to influential traditional and social institutions, have significant roles to play in addressing the challenges confronting Onitsha and promoting its development.
The meeting also featured contributions from members of Agbalanze and Otu Odu, who called for stronger parental responsibility, higher moral standards and concerted efforts to address the root causes of the social challenges affecting the community.
The participants agreed that addressing the challenges facing Onitsha requires a collective approach involving traditional institutions, families, community leaders and residents. In a passionate appeal for renewed commitment to the community, the Obi asked: “If we don’t fix Onitsha, who is going to fix it for us?”
