Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, Chairman of the Council of Elders of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, has been accused of describing Yoruba people as “political rascals.” A viral video allegedly captured him making the remark while speaking in Awka, the capital of Anambra State, on Saturday during the first‑anniversary celebration of Governor Chukwuma Soludo. The pan‑Yoruba socio‑political organization Afenifere condemned the statement. In a Sunday release, its National Organising Secretary, Apagun Omololu, faulted Iwuanyanwu’s comment and called on Ohanaeze leadership to caution him. The statement, titled “Re: The divisive Awka comment by Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu,” noted that Afenifere had received numerous complaints from Yoruba sons and daughters worldwide about the alleged remark.
Afenifere said it had reviewed the video and would contact Ohanaeze Ndigbo to seek clarification on whether the comment reflected the organization’s view of the Yoruba. The group urged Ohanaeze to warn the chief not to insult the Yoruba, emphasizing that pride and hospitality should not be mistaken for weakness. It called for calm and love toward Igbo compatriots and all other ethnic groups, invoking the Yoruba ethos of Omoluabi (good upbringing). “We are one people under one nation and one God,” the statement read, adding that Nigeria’s diversity is a strength and should not be undermined by politics, religion, or ethnicity.
The statement further urged Yoruba people to maintain good relations with other ethnic groups at home and abroad, stressing that common humanity outweighs any divisive antics or careless remarks. It highlighted the Yoruba reputation for peace, unity, and orderliness and called for adherence to these virtues for the benefit of Nigeria and the world.
On Sunday, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide issued a counter‑statement denying that Iwuanyanwu made the alleged remark. Signed by National Publicity Secretary Dr Chiedozie Ogbonnia, the release described the claim as a typical falsehood fabricated by “mischief makers” to sow inter‑ethnic mistrust. According to Ogbonnia, Iwuanyanwu actually said, “I want to tell those in Lagos to realise that there is no war between us and the Yoruba. Those who attacked Ndigbo in Lagos recently are rascals who should be arrested.” He condemned the viral claim as “a lie from the pit of hell,” alleging it was spread by social‑media entrepreneurs seeking to create division.
The Ohanaeze statement emphasized that the ugly incident in Lagos should not be attributed to the Yoruba people, describing the perpetrators as “rascals, hooligans, spivs, charlatans, miscreants, and dregs of Lagos society.” It also noted that Chief Iwuanyanwu is a well‑known patriotic, detribalised Nigerian who enjoyed the fidelity, confidence, solidarity, and support of the Yoruba during his active business and political career.
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