APC Ambode: Outrage grows over Oba Akiolu’s death threat against Igbo .
Nigerians from across ethnic persuasions have reacted with outrage over the alleged threat to Igbos living in Lagos to vote for the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Akinwumi Ambode, or perish in the lagoon.
Various organisations have joined in the expression of outrage over the threat, with some threatening court action.
Among those that have condemned the monarch are the Catholic Caritas Foundation of Nigeria and the youth wing of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo.
While the CCFN asked Oba Akiolu to revert his “curse” on the Igbos, the Ohanaeze youths gave the monarch 48 hours to withdraw his threat and apologise for his outburst against the Igbos.
CCFN, an organ of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, in a statement by its Executive Secretary, Rev. Fr. Evaristus Bassey, on Monday in Abuja said Akiolu was “missing the point that Nigeria is a Republic and a democracy and not a monarchy.”
He said, “We humbly call on the Oba himself to withdraw his curse and rather appeal to the people, for indeed, such a threat may amount to playing God and God, who is a merciful father, will not allow his children to die so senselessly just because they are fulfilling the dictates of their conscience.”
According to him, the fact that APC is the government at the centre is a strong factor to employ and appeal to people to vote for its candidate “rather than invoking ancestral powers for destruction.”
Bassey added, “Why is it that in Africa we usually invoke our powers for destruction and not for building-up? Why single out a particular ethnic group for this curse? Does it mean a Yoruba or Hausa person, living in Lagos. who votes for Jimi Agbaje will go scot-free, while any Igbo, who votes for Agbaje, will drown in the Lagoon?
“Does it mean that people should vote out of fear and not their consciences? Would such an election be free and fair, where people have to vote out of intimidation?
Does not the threat of the Oba Akiolu amount to voter intimidation?”
The Ohanaeze youth wing said it considered the comments credited to the monarch as “a despicable insult on the Igbo nation home and abroad, least expected of a royal father in the rank of Oba of Lagos.”
In a statement in Umuahia on Monday, the National President of Ohanaeze Youth Council, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, said, “Igbo youths will not take this insult lightly, and unless he apologises within 48 hours, he should know he is courting our wrath.
“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 against “Ndigbo, whom God has destined to prosper in any part of the world even in hostile environments.”
He, called on security agencies to immediately invite the monarch for questioning over his remarks “which portend grave security implications.”
On his part, the son of the former Governor of old Anambra State, Chief C.C Onoh. Dr. Josef Umunnakwe Onoh, called for the immediate dethronement of Oba Akiolu, for what he described as a grievous incitement against the Igbos in Lagos.
Onoh also vowed to drag Oba Akiolu to the International Criminal Court of Justice (ICC) for his statements, adding that the monarch has reduced himself from royalty to peasantry.
He stated that Oba Akiolu, by his threat of sinking Ndigbo into the lagoon if they vote against the APC in the April 11 governorship election for Lagos State, portrayed himself as an ethnic jingoist, incapable of assuming such a respected position as Oba of Lagos.
Onoh said 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 added that nobody should regard Akiolu’s threat as empty, adding that if the Oba allowed to go scot-free with such plan to sink the Igbos in Lagos, then Nigeria may as well get ready for another round of civil unrest.
Onoh suggested that Akiolu should be stripped of his kingship and immediately arraigned in law court for plot to commit mass murder and civil unrest.
“Let it be known that whether Oba Akiolu’s threat come to fruition or not, I have concluded to take him to the ICC where he will keep company to the like of Charles Taylor and answer to human right charges that will be preferred against him,” said Onoh.
He however urged all Lagosians and indeed the entire Nigerians to come out in mass on Saturday to vote for candidates of their choice irrespective of party affiliation or tribe
This Day citing Freedom Online, had reported that “a visibly angry Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, in an unconcealed threat, stated that he was not ready to beg the Igbos, but if they repeated what they did on March 28 when they voted for the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), President Goodluck Jonathan, then they should be ready for the consequences.”
This threat by its seriousness has dominated discourse in the Facebook and Twitter with most voices rising in Oba’s condemnation.
Bamidele O Olaleye, contributing to one of the many threads on the subject, said: “With a few exemptions, Obas lost a lot of respect towards last week’s election. So this should not be a surprise. I don’t think he will do anything, but if the Igbos feel threatened, then they should lodge a complaint with the IG, regardless of the outcome of the election.”
Oludare Mayowa said, “…the Oba has established such notorious reputation for himself that it is very difficult not to believe this statement comes from him. On a second thought I think THISDAY has an agenda on this issue too, I question the editorial judgment of the editor on its source of the story. Quoting an obscure online medium Freedomonline somewhat negate the integrity of the newspaper for a story that happened in Lagos.”
Yemie Fash @Dalacreamz simply wrote,
“We know of oba of benin’s prudence ….oba of lagos will never be forgotten for this show of shame and abuse of traditional title.”
These are just a few of thousands of reactions that have inundated the social media. While some of the reactions opined that the report might be false and just part of the gimmicks of anti-Ambode elements to galvanize the non-indigenes in Lagos to rally against Ambode.
Thousands of postings and accompanying comments on social media have followed essentially similar bent, with overwhelming condemnation.
What is most surprising about the Oba’s threat is that both candidates are from Lagos State and Ndigbo do not have a major candidate on the ballot in the governorship election in Lagos. Even at that Yoruba’s in Lagos are themselves divided on whom to support for the coming governorship election, with some vouching for continuity while others want the change that commenced at the national level to extend to Lagos.
Besides, Obas like other traditional rulers are supposed to be apolitical as people from various political backgrounds are their subjects.
The governorship elections are scheduled to hold on Saturday, and it is believed that Igbo residents in Lagos will vote for the PDP candidate, Jimi Agbaje, just like they did during the presidential and National Assembly elections that led to the victory of PDP candidates of Igbo origin and from Delta State in three federal constituencies in Lagos.
The victory of the non-indigenes of Lagos did not gone down well with the Lagos chapter of the APC.
According to This Day citing the online news medium, Freedom Online, the first class monarch told The Igbos in a meeting with their leaders on Saturday That “if anyone of you goes against Ambode who I picked, that is your end.”
He was said to have stressed: “If it doesn’t happen within seven days, just know that I am a bastard and it is not my father who gave birth to me. Jonathan is my son and I speak to him everyday. 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 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.
“I’m not ready to beg you. Nobody knew how I picked Ambode. Jimi (Agbaje) is my blood relation and I told him that he cannot be governor in Lagos for now. The future belongs to God. I am not begging anybody, but what you people cannot do in Onitsha, Aba or anywhere, don’t do it here.
“If you do what I want, Lagos will continue to be prosperous for you. If you go against my wish, you will perish in the water.”
The monarch reportedly told Igbo leaders in Lagos on Saturday that he would “make life unbearable” for the Igbos in Lagos if they frustrate efforts to ensure that Am¬bode emerges as the next governor of the state.
Oba Akiolu was quoted as saying, “On Saturday, if anyone of you goes against Ambode, whom 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 in¬side this water.”
Among those that have called out the monarch are the Catholic Caritas Foundation of Nigeria and the youth wing of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo.
While the CCFN asked Oba Akiolu to revert his “curse” on the Igbos, the Ohanaeze youths gave the monarch 48 hours to withdraw his threat and apologise for his outburst against the Igbos.
CCFN, an organ of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, in a statement by its Executive Secretary, Rev. Fr. Evaristus Bassey, on Monday in Abuja said Akiolu was “missing the point that Nigeria is a Republic and a democracy and not a monarchy.”
He said, “We humbly call on the Oba himself to withdraw his curse and rather appeal to the people, for indeed, such a threat may amount to playing God and God, who is a merciful father, will not allow his children to die so senselessly just because they are fulfilling the dictates of their conscience.”
According to him, the fact that APC is the government at the centre is a strong factor to employ and appeal to people to vote for its candidate “rather than invoking ancestral powers for destruction.”
Bassey added, “Why is it that in Africa we usually invoke our powers for destruction and not for building-up? Why single out a particular ethnic group for this curse? Does it mean a Yoruba or Hausa person, living in Lagos. who votes for Jimi Agbaje will go scot-free, while any Igbo, who votes for Agbaje, will drown in the Lagoon?
“Does it mean that people should vote out of fear and not their consciences? Would such an election be free and fair, where people have to vote out of intimidation?
Does not the threat of the Oba Akiolu amount to voter intimidation?”
The Ohanaeze youth wing said it considered the comments credited to the monarch as “a despicable insult on the Igbo nation home and abroad, least expected of a royal father in the rank of Oba of Lagos.”
In a statement in Umuahia on Monday, the National President of Ohanaeze Youth Council, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, said, “Igbo youths will not take this insult lightly, and unless he apologises within 48 hours, he should know he is courting our wrath.
“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 against “Ndigbo, whom God has destined to prosper in any part of the world even in hostile environments.”
He, called on security agencies to immediately invite the monarch for questioning over his remarks “which portend grave security implications.”
The Rainbow with web reports
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