Stop milking the country, it will die – Obi of Onitsha warns Politicians

The Obi of Onitsha, His Royal Majesty Nnaemeka Achebe, has emphasized the urgent need for leaders to prioritize the public good over personal interests. His remarks came during the public presentation of Senator Chris Anyanwu’s autobiography in Abuja, where he shared poignant insights on governance and nation-building.

The Obi likened the country’s pervasive corruption to “overmilking a cow without replenishing it,” highlighting the unsustainable nature of selfish leadership practices. He warned that such tendencies not only hinder national development but also threaten the nation’s stability and long-term prosperity.

“Should we continue milking the cow, it will die. In this country, since independence, we’ve been talking and talking and talking and talking and talking. I think it’s time we begin to think about doing something because we have two alternatives. Keep milking the cow until it dies because of our sectional interests, which we tend to protect, and our personal interests. People go into public service, not to serve the public, but to serve their interests,” the monarch stated. “Either we keep doing that and milk the cow to death, or we do the opposite and place Nigeria above everything else. And I would like to add that time is not too much in our favour. It’s either we milk the cow to death very, very fast, or we can turn around the country very, very fast.”