Agbaje vs Ambode: Oba of Lagos under fire

THE Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu, was literally steamed on Monday, as anger spread over his threat against Igbos living in Lagos, for their perceived preference for a political party he was not supporting.

Ndigbo community in Lagos State and elsewhere across the nation boiled on Monday, in protest against the partisanship of the monarch, even as emergency secret meetings were reportedly being held by Igbos in the state, aimed at making “a powerful statement” in the governorship election at the weekend.

Nigerian Tribune learnt on Monday that the underground moves would culminate in last-minute “decisions with implications,” according to an involved source, though direct political statements might not be publicly made on where the race should vote in the governorship election.

Akiolu had directed the Eze Ndigbo in the 57 council areas, who met with him on Sunday, to ensure Igbos in the state vote the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Akinwunmi Ambode, failure which he said they would perish in the water.

The video and audio of the speech made by the monarch went viral on social media sites on Monday.

However, in a statement from the palace on Monday, Akiolu denied placing a curse on Igbos that would vote the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Jimi Agbaje.

The monarch , Oba Akiolu, also refuted media reports that he cursed any Igbo person who refuses to vote for the candidate of APC, Ambode , during the April 11 election

The monarch, in a statement signed on behalf of the palace by Chief Lateef Aderibigbe, the Ajose Opeluwa of Lagos, said the Igbo people in Lagos had not betrayed the throne.

The statement read: “My attention has been drawn to a publication in a national newspaper where Oba Rilwanu Akiolu was alleged to have threatened Igbos in Lagos to make them vote for Ambode. Last Sunday, all honorary Eze Ndigbos in Lagos paid a courtesy call on Oba Akiolu. At the meeting, the visitors praised the Oba for his fatherly support and cooperation with Igbos in Lagos.

“They assured him of their continued good neighbourliness 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 Babatunde 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 Goodluck Jonathan as perceived by the Eze Ndigbos. The Oba, thereafter, called on the Igbo 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 libation on the ground. It was within this context 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. Oba 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.

“The Oba of Lagos prays that the Lagoon and the throne will continue to bless and protect all those who reside and visit Lagos. Oba Akiolu is the father of all, irrespective of tribe, religion or political persuasion. In Lagos, we have an old traditional proverb that relates to the Lagoon. Oba Akiolu prays for peace for the land of Lagos and prosperity for all its inhabitants.”

The leadership of Ohaneze Ndigbo in Lagos and South West, on Monday, however, asked south-easterners who are residents in the state to ignore Akiolu's threat and vote their conscience while vowing that the Ndigbo community would not meet with the under-fire monarch again, unless he personally calls for a peace meeting.

It also said it had concluded plans to ensure that the interests of Igbo citizens residing in Lagos were protected before, during and after the governorship election.

In a chat, the publicity secretary of the Ohaneze Ndigbo, Lagos and South West, Mr Peter Anosike, said it was sad that such an acrimonious and potentially-divisive statement could be directed towards a group of Nigerians he claimed were largely responsible for massive economic development of Lagos State.

He said one of the major ways the Igbo socio-cultural group sought to protect the interest of the Igbos was to ensure that all eligible Igbo voters vote according to their conscience.

“Nobody can intimidate us to vote for anyone. This is democracy where voters are expected to vote without compulsion or intimidation.

“Therefore, to protect the right of every Ndigbo in Lagos, we want to make it clear categorically that all Igbos in Lagos must disregard the Oba’s comments, rather, they must vote based on their conscience,” he said.

Reacting to the raging controversy, House of Representatives members-elect on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos said Akiolu could not impose Ambode on non-indigenes.

Speaking on their behalf, Tony Nwulu, representing Oshodi-Isolo constituency 2, said it was a shame that such a comment came from a well respected Oba.

“I want to condemn the utterance of the Oba for such a threat at a time when Nigerians were bent on maintaining the fragile peace achieved after the presidential elections.

“I am moved to address this briefing because I see a deliberate attempt by the Oba, in collaboration with the APC, to coerce non-indigenes to act against their will,” he said.

He called on the people not to be intimidated by the Oba’s threat, but go out en masse to cast their vote for the PDP.

According to him, the PDP had given the Igbos in Lagos three House of Representatives seats, saying that the Igbo, Hausa and Yoruba alike and other ethnic groups in the country knew who their friends were.

The lawmaker-elect declared that those inducing groups with money would just be wasting it, because the people would not vote for them, even as he disclosed that the matter had since been reported to all the appropriate authorities.

He vowed that the Igbo and all other tribes would resist all intimidation, declaring that “this is democracy.”

The PDP publicity secretary for Lagos, Taofeek Gani, in his reaction, said that the Oba did not have the right to dictate who should vote for who or curse anybody for refusing to vote his choice.

“The Oba’s action is condemnable. As a father to all, he should allow freedom of expression. Except he is a biased man, the two governorship contestants and their running mates are Yoruba people and should be given equal opportunity by the Oba,” he said.

Gani, however, urged security operatives in the country to swiftly move in and investigate the matter and also ensure the deployment of more men for the security of lives of the non-indigines in the state.

Meanwhile, former deputy national chairman of PDP, Chief Olabode George, has said Akiolu must apologise to  the Igbo and other non-indigenes in Lagos State over the alleged threat.

George, who spoke at a press conference in Lagos, on Monday, in company with other PDP leaders, including former Minister of Works, Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe and the state chairman of the party, Captain Tunji Shelle (retd), said he was shell-shocked with the pronouncement of the Oba.

He said Lagos was a cosmopolitan city where all Nigerians, irrespective of their tribe, should be freely allowed to carry on their business and enjoy their fundamental human rights.

“There is the need to draw a line. A traditional ruler is the father of all. If an Oba wants to play politics like I am doing, he should leave the throne. As a party leader, I am calling on him to  apologise to Igbos in Lagos,” he said.

George maintained that the statement credited to Oba Akiolu was uncalled for, saying that Nigeria could not afford another tribal war in the 21st century.

He urged the Oba to detach himself from whatever political party he belonged to now, as he was supposed to be the father of all people living in Lagos.

He also assured the Igbos to go about their business  and disregard the alleged curse of the Oba, saying, “let me assure all non-indigenes, especially the Igbo, nobody can hoodwink you, nobody can tell you when you will die. Go about your daily business, no curse can harm you.”

Also speaking, the state chairman of PDP, Captain Shelle, said Oba Akiolu had no business in politics and called the Ndigbo to  ignore the threat and go about their businesses.

The governorship candidate of  APC in Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode, however, said all ethnic groupings in the state would be safe in his hands as governor.

He spoke while receiving 20 buses from a group, Nigeria Progressive Ambassadors, in Lagos, according to a statement on Monday.

“Every group in Lagos is safe in my hands as governor. I will not discriminate against any religious or ethnic group. It is our Lagos and we must build it together.  In my acceptance speech after the primaries, I made this note that I will be a governor for all and Lagos is safe in my hands. I want to build on the foundation of unity, peace, progress and development laid by my predecessor.

“I am your best choice for a Lagos that must continue to thrive. And though tongue and tribe may differ, we stand in brotherhood in Lagos from the smallest ethnic groups to the major ones. We are all stakeholders.”

The group’s General Secretary, Miss Vuakpor Ojo, said it “strongly believe in the future of Lagos” and the country as a whole.

According to her, “we are a body of forward-thinking Nigerians, who are ready to partner with people who have the ability to give an enabling future to this state and sustain its excellence.

“You are one of us, and this donation of 20 buses depicts our commitment to the cause to make a detribalised leader like you, who understands the cosmopolitan nature of Lagos, to govern the state starting from May 29.“

Joining in the debate, a forum of Yoruba groups, including the Afenifere, on Monday, faulted the alleged incendiary comments credited to Oba Akiolu, declaring that the monarch had crossed the line.

The publicity secretary of Afenifere, Mr Yinka Odumakin, who spoke on behalf of the group, said “we say with all sense of responsibility that if these were truly the words of Kabiyesi, he has clearly crossed the line of royal decency, desecrated the royal stool and violated the electoral laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria."

Odumakin also said the monarch had engaged in promotion of hate speech capable of fueling ethnic tension and clashes which was against the spirit of peaceful co-existence which the race had achieved in recent years.

He, however, assured the Igbo and other non-Yoruba in Lagos that the conduct of Oba Akiolu was “totally strange to Yoruba culture and a negation of our democratic character as a people.

"One of the most cherished values of proper Yoruba people is the respect for freedom of choice.

“We respect the right of Oba Akiolu to drop the crown at Iga and become director of mobilisation for the leader of his party if he so desires, but we detest his hiding behind the throne to fan the embers of disunity which could put Yoruba people in harm’s way wherever they are living as settlers. Yoruba people are too civilised to support the primitive intimidation of fellow Nigerians, just as we will not accept such action being visited on our people," Odumakin admonished.

Also reacting, the Director of Media and Publicity of the Peoples Democratic Party Presidential Campaign Organisation (PDPPCO), Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, described as ominous and unacceptable, the threat by  Akiolu.

Fani-Kayode, in a statement issued in Abuja, on Monday, said “the truth is that we were threatened with ethnic cleansing and religious carnage in the North had Buhari not won the presidential election on March 28 and had President Jonathan not quickly conceded defeat.

“We let that go and kept the peace, but now our traditional supporters are being threatened in Lagos and in many other states as we approach the April 11 governorship election.

“Let two things be clearly understood. Inasmuch as we all want peace in this country and inasmuch as Jonathan has graciously and quickly conceded defeat in the presidential election, this does not mean that we are weak or powerless.

“Let it be clearly understood by all and sundry that any attempt to kill, maim or molest our supporters in the North, West or, indeed, in any other part of the country either before, during or after Saturday’s governorship elections or any attempt at ethnic or religious cleansing by the APC, their supporters or their friends and agents will be deemed unacceptable and will be met with defiance, contempt and a well-orchestrated and solid resistance.”

Fani-Kayode stated that “these APC threats and all the attendant rubbish that go with them must stop,” pointing out that “no one is intimidated on our side and neither do we fear for the future, because God is with us; He is faithful and He is in perfect control. This is an election and it is not a war, so we must be civilised, restrained, gentle and courteous in all our ways and dealings.”

According to him, “we want peace and we want harmony in this country, but no one or no group of people will be allowed to turn us or our supporters into slaves or give us sleepless nights. No one will be allowed to throw our supporters ‘into the lagoon’ and make them ‘perish’ and neither will there be any negative consequences if they vote against the APC in Lagos or anywhere else.

“The APC would do well to remember that they only won the presidential election by 2 million votes. They got 14 million votes whilst the PDP got 12 million votes in that election. This means that we have 12 million loyal foot soldiers and supporters in this country and that is no mean feat. Those 12 million voters cannot be ignored or treated with disdain and contempt. They must and will be respected.

Meanwhile, the Ohanaeze Youth Council (OYC), the youth wing of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the apex socio-cultural organisation of Ndigbo, has issued a 48-hour ultimatum to Oba Akiolu, to “retract and unconditionally apologise to Ndigbo” over his alleged death threat to Ndigbo living in Lagos, should they fail to vote for Ambode on April 11.

Apart from positing that democracy confers on the electorate the freedom of choice, OYC said it considered the comments credited to Akiolu 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 called on security agencies to invite the Oba for questioning, because of the grave dangers his current posture portended, while lambasting the monarch for employing crude arm-twisting, obtaining by tricks tactics.

OYC, in a statement issued in Umuahia and endorsed by its national president, Okechukwu Isiguzoro, warned that “Igbo youths will not take this insult lightly,” adding that “unless he apologises within 48 hours, he should know he is courting our wrath.”

OYC further 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.

“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,” the group said.

“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,” it added.

Isiguzoro said “nobody, no matter what he thinks he is, has the right to command Ndigbo anywhere on who to vote for in a democratic setting.”

He said the unprintable comments credited to the Oba had only revealed his innate hatred for Ndigbo.

The Oba, according to him, “should be reminded that the economy of Lagos will collapse should Ndigbo decide to pull their investments from the commercial city.”

He said “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.”

OYC asserted that the Igbo race needed commendation and not hatred for their ingenuity, versatility and presence in every part of the country, adding that God had destined Ndigbo to prosper in any part of the world, even in hostile environments.

The group, therefore, encouraged Ndigbo in Lagos and elsewhere to vote according to their conscience in the forthcoming polls without fear of intimidation.

The Catholic Caritas Foundation of Nigeria (CCFN) also condemned the threat handed down by the Oba to the Igbos in Lagos that they should vote for Ambode, or else they will die in the lagoon.

While advising that the monarch should withdraw his curse, the CCFN, an organ of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, said the royal father “is missing the point that Nigeria is a republic and a democracy and not a monarchy.”

The Executive Secretary of CCFN, Reverend Father Evaristus Bassey, in a statement obtained by journalists in Abuja, on Monday, condemned Oba Akiolu’s comments which, it said, amounted to threat and intimidation.

The organisation stated that although it understood the monarch's genuine fear of losing the city to strangers, Lagos had been one of the most cosmopolitan cities in Africa for decades, adding that “any citizen contributing to its economy and politics can be a bonafide resident.”

A former member of the Enugu House of Assembly, Dr Josef Umunnakwe Onoh,  has, therefore, threatened to drag Oba Akiolu to International Criminal Court (ICC) for what he described as a grievous incitement against the Igbo in Lagos ahead of Saturday's governorship election.

 Dr Onoh, son of the late governor of old Anambra State, Chief Christian Chukwuma Onoh, who also called for the de-roping of the royal father, noted that the monarch, by his comment, had reduced himself from “royalty to peasantry.”

He stated that Oba Akiolu, by his treat of sinking Ndigbo into the lagoon if they vote against APC, portrayed himself as an ethnic jingoist, incapable of assuming such a respected position as Oba of Lagos.

The former lawmaker said that the security agencies should quickly summon the monarch, stating that for the Oba to have come out to make such “irresponsible and inflammatory comment,” he (Oba) may have concluded to make due his threat.

He said that nobody should regard Akiolu’s threat as empty, adding that if the Oba is allowed to go scott free with such plan to sink the Igbos in Lagos, then Nigeria may as well get ready for another round of civil unrest.

Another socio-cultural group also lambasted Akiolu over the alleged threat.

Its statement read in part: “We at the Igbo-Bi-Nezi Congress woke up this morning to read, with shock, in nearly all the national dailies, a cowardly statement credited to the Oba of Lagos, conveying serious threats to Igbo voters who live and work in Lagos.

“We feel thoroughly disappointed that a highly placed traditional ruler would be so misinformed and that he had to permit so much hatred for our people and, also, to his own subjects. Ambode and Agbaje are both Yorubas of Lagos State origin who are seeking popular mandate for for the number one office in the state on the platforms of APC and PDP.”

Paraphrasing the statement credited to the monarch, the Oba of Lagos was quoted to have said: “By the grace of God, I am the owner of Lagos for the time being. This is an undivided chair: The palace belongs to the dead and those coming in the future. On Saturday, if any one of you, I swear in the name of God, goes against my wish, that Ambode becomes the next governor of Lagos State, the person is going to die inside this water.

“For the Ndigbo 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.

“I am not ready to beg you. Nobody knew how I picked Ambode. I am not begging anybody, but what you people cannot do in Onitsha, Aba and anywhere, you cannot do it here. If you do what I want, Lagos will continue to be prosperous for you.”

Culled from Tribune