ABUJA/LAGOS, Federal Republic of Nigeria. (Report by Joe Nwankwo, Stella Omona, Akinwunmi King, Ekene Okoro) – Nigeria is a republic and a democracy, not a monarchy – Catholic Church tells Oba of Lagos; Nigerians should vote according to their conscience — Igbo think-tank group Aka Ikenga; Oba Akiolu’s threat on Igbo nation is despicable, should be retracted within 48 hours — Ohanaeze Youth Council [OYC].
Just as expected, the statement by Oba Rilwan Akiolu of Lagos, where he ordered Igbo residents in Lagos to vote Akinwunmi Ambode, the All Progressives Congress [APC] candidate on Saturday [April 11, 2015] gubernatorial elections or face his wrath elicited condemnations from individuals and groups across the country.
The Oba, in the statement on Sunday, of which the audio and video have gone viral on the internet, ordered the Igbo who are mostly traders with heavy presence in Lagos to do his bidding by voting for Ambode, or die in the Lagoon.
Akiolu was reported as threatening prominent Igbo leaders and all Eze-Ndigbo in the state during a meeting in his palace, to make life unbearable for the Igbos in Lagos if they sabotaged efforts to ensure Ambode emerges as the next governor of the state.
Akiolu said: “On Saturday, if anyone of you goes against Ambode, who I picked, that is your end. If it does not happen within seven days, just know that I am a bastard and it is not my father who gave birth to me.
“By the grace of God, I am the owner of Lagos for the time being. On Saturday, if anyone of you, I swear in the name of God, goes against my wish that Ambode will be the next governor of Lagos State, the person is going to die inside this water.
“For the Igbo and others in Lagos, they should go where the Oba of Lagos heads to. When they were coming to the state, they did not come with all their houses. But now, they have properties in the state. So they must do my bidding. And that is the bidding of the ancestors of Lagos and God…”
Reacting, Aka Ikenga, an Igbo think-tank group, urged residents of the state to vote for the candidate of their choice without fear or intimidation.
The group in a statement by its President, Chief Goddy Uwazurike, expressed shock “that Ndigbo are threatened with consequence if they disobey. It is a known fact that we seek a free and fair election. At what point were Yoruba and Hausa Fulani people threatened for their votes.
“We have waited for a retraction of this statement in vain but we have stated it repeatedly, that people should vote according to their conscience without any fear of favour. For the avoidance of doubt, threat to one Igbo man is a threat to us all.
“We shall do our civic duty as directed by INEC and the security agencies to whom we have copied this press release,” the statement read.
Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, through its Catholic Caritas Foundation of Nigeria [CFFN], reminded Oba Akiolu that Nigeria remains a republic, not a monarchy, insisting that the statement be withdrawn.
Secretary of CCFN, Rev. Fr. Evaristus Bassey, in a statement issued in Abuja, said Akiolu’s comment amounted to threat and intimidation.
“At the national offices of Caritas Nigeria and Justice Development and Peace Commission, we are totally shocked to read about the threat handed down by Oba Akiolu to the Igbos in Lagos.
“While it is understandable that a royal father would want his wishes carried out, we are deeply concerned that the royal father is missing the point that Nigeria is a republic and a democracy and not a monarchy.
“We understand the genuine fear of the great Oba of losing Lagos to strangers. But Lagos has been one of the most cosmopolitan cities in Africa for decades and any citizen contributing to its economy and politics can be a bona fide resident.
“As such, the upstages as happened in the last elections are to be expected. Nevertheless native and non-native residents should feel free to negotiate and clarify expectations but not in the threatening and intimidating manner the revered Oba has lashed out,” Bassey added.
Also commenting, Ohanaeze Youth Council [OYC], the youth wing of **Oha na Eze Ndigbo,** the apex socio-cultural organisation of Ndigbo, has given Oba Akiolu, 48 hours to “retract and unconditionally apologise to Ndigbo” for threatening to make life miserable for people of Igbo extraction if Ambode is not elected governor on Saturday.
The group reminded him that democracy conferred on the electorate, the freedom of choice and right to dissent, describing Oba Akiolu’s statement as “a despicable insult on the Igbo nation, home and abroad, least expected of a royal father in the rank of Oba of Lagos.”
The group urged security agencies to question the monarch, because of the grave dangers his current posture portends, condemning him for employing arm-twisting tactics to garner votes.
In the statement issued on Monday in Umuahia, signed by its National President, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, OYC said “Igbo youths will not take this insult lightly, and unless he apologises within 48 hours he should know he is courting our wrath.”
The group warned that should anything happen to Ndigbo or their business interests in Lagos in the event of APC losing the Lagos governorship race, the Oba should be held responsible noting that “inasmuch as we do not want to get involved in Lagos politics, we want to sound a note of warning that no Igbo should be vilified or persecuted for his or her electoral choice in Lagos or any part of Nigeria.
“Every Nigerian has the constitutional right to reside in any part of the country and participate in the electoral process based on one’s convictions, and electoral choice is not a crime.
“Nobody no matter what he thinks he is, has the right to command Ndigbo anywhere on who to vote for in a democratic setting.”
The group said that “the economy of Lagos will collapse should Ndigbo decide to pull their investments from the commercial city saying that “Ndigbo have remained the most persecuted, hated and marginalised tribe in Nigeria , yet the most enterprising and highest contributors to the growth of its economy, peace and unity.”
Also reacting, the Eze Ndi Igbo Lagos, Chief Nwabueze Ohazuluike, said that the Igbo community in the state will meet and come out with a position.
However, a Lagos palace chief, Lateef Ajose, the Opeluwa of Lagos, in a statement released on Monday, April 6, 2015, attempted to clarify the issue, without categorically denying or admitting whether monarch made the statement as alleged.
He admitted that there was meeting were “the visitors praised the Oba for his fatherly support for and cooperation with Igbos in. Lagos. They assured him of their continued good neighborliness with other tribes in Lagos and support everything that’ll further strengthen that harmony.
“Oba Akiolu on his part acknowledged the enviable performance of Governor Fashola and his contribution to the growth of investments in Lagos. He gave the assurance that he is not disturbed or angry with South-East and South-South votes for President Jonathan as perceived by the Eze Ndigbos.
“The Obas thereafter called on the Igbos chiefs to show appreciation to Lagos State by supporting his candidate Mr. Ambode for continuity of excellence as they have earlier promised.
“He assured them of his continued support and assistance where needed and the meeting ended with the traditional breaking of kolas, alligator pepper, and bitter kola and pouring of liberation on the ground.
“It was within this context that that the tradition of Lagos with regard to the lagoon came up. It was noted that whoever works against the throne and the interest and peaceful co-existence of Lagos would end up in the lagoon as per tradition.
“Akiolu stated further that the Igbo people have not betrayed the throne. Lagos has also not betrayed the Igbo people. Lagos has done so much to make the Igbos comfortable and to prosper. For this, we expect reciprocal respect and understanding.
