Ohanaeze Ndigbo has condemned a viral video in which an unidentified person calls on the Igbo to poison Yoruba and Edo people. The National Publicity Secretary of the apex Igbo sociocultural organization, Alex Ogbonnia, issued a statement on Wednesday, stating that while the group initially considered ignoring the video as the ramblings of a deranged person, the reactions from concerned citizens made it necessary to respond.
The statement explained, “Our phones have been inundated with calls from various eminent persons who expressed concerns about the possibility of some individuals carrying out the threats. This prompted Ohanaeze to respond, especially after the National Publicity Secretary of Afenifere, Mr. Jare Ajayi, forwarded the clip and requested immediate action.”
Ogbonnia clarified that there is no evidence to suggest that the woman in the video is Igbo, stating, “She does not represent the Igbo character, known for thoughtfulness, discretion, self-censure, and equanimity. No Igbo person would consider such a reckless act as poisoning others in a crowded marketplace, fearing who might become the unintended victim.”
He further emphasized the Igbo people’s strong ties with other ethnic groups, adding, “The Igbo are known to travel more than any other ethnic group in Africa, creating homes and integrating with local communities wherever they are found. They contribute to the development of every community they inhabit.”
Highlighting the illogical nature of the threat, Ogbonnia asked, “If someone were to poison food in Lagos, Ibadan, or Benin, is there any guarantee that the first victim would not be Igbo? The individual behind this video is clearly a troubled, hateful bigot, fixated on divisive ideas.”
Ambassador Okey Emuchay, the Secretary General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, condemned the video’s content and the individual behind it as a mischief-maker intent on sowing ethnic distrust and conflict. He called the person a “merchant of woes” who uses inflammatory rhetoric to create divisions where none exist.
Ohanaeze also sought to educate younger generations about the shared cultural heritage between the Igbo, Yoruba, and Edo peoples, emphasizing, “We share cultural affinity, cosmology, morphology, and hospitality. The long history of intermarriage between these groups has produced many accomplished descendants.”
Referring to historical examples of unity, such as the Aguiyi-Ironsi and Fajuyi episode in Ibadan on July 29, 1966, the statement underscored the deep-seated fraternity, amity, and camaraderie that should be celebrated among these ethnic groups.
Finally, Ohanaeze Ndigbo reassured Afenifere, as well as the entire Yoruba and Edo communities, that the threat posed by this video should be dismissed as “idiotic, meaningless, and vacuous.” They called on Nigerian security agencies to trace and prosecute those responsible for the video, ensuring such harmful rhetoric does not take root.
