The apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has accused Chief Bola Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, of harboring deep-seated hatred for Igbos.
The accusation came in response to Onanuga’s comments about the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and a planned nationwide protest.
Alex Ogbonnia, the National Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze, criticized Onanuga for attributing the protest to supporters of Obi and suggesting that they are attempting to unseat
Tinubu. Onanuga had referred to Obi’s supporters, known as Obidients, as “malcontents” and warned that Obi should be held responsible for any resulting crisis.
Ogbonnia highlighted Onanuga’s previous statements, including a remark from March 2023, in which Onanuga warned against Igbo interference in Lagos politics.
The statement released on Monday Partly read, “The attention of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has been drawn to a remark by the Special Adviser to Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Chief Bayo Onanuga to the effect that “the malcontents planning to stage nationwide protests are supporters of Peter Obi, the failed presidential candidate of the Labour Party. And that Obi “should be held responsible for whatever crisis emanates from the protest.” And that the Obidients are “plotting to unseat President Bola Tinubu under the guise of protests”.
Several gullible undiscerning persons have joined Onanuga to state specifically that “the Igbo are the propellers of the forthcoming nationwide protest”.
“Ohanaeze views the above remarks by Onanuga as true to type. On March 19, 2023 Onanuga was reported by several news media to have issued a serious warning to the Igbo stating, “Let 2023 be the last time of Igbo interference in Lagos politics. Let there be no repeat in 2027.”
When many well-meaning Nigerians including Mr. Festus Keyamo cautioned Onanuga on the ignoble path he has chosen for himself, he was quoted to have stated: “I owe no one apology for ethnic slur against Igbos”.
“Ohanaeze Ndigbo views Onanuga’s bizarre dispositions towards anything Igbo as unthoughtful, loathsome, cantankerous, uncouth, repugnant, inflammable, repugnant and full of deep-seated hate.
“It may be necessary to inform Onanuga that Nigerians of all persuasions, North, South, East and West are in pains of diverse forms: excruciating hardships, poverty, Naira downward spiral, incessant kidnappings, banditry, farmers-herdsmen conflict, most terrifying insecurity, joblessness, rising food prices and cost of living challenges. And that the prevailing hardship in Nigeria is blind to ethnicity.
“It is necessary to inform Onanuga that this is a time for the Presidency to initiate policies, programmes, activities and a body language that will appeal to or assuage the downtrodden, dispossessed, oppressed, the deprived, including Obidients.
“And to also inform the Onanugas that issuing threats to masses, the hungry and angry, the vulnerable and indeed those who no longer fear any fall is the most inconceivable line of action for any government in a fragile society.
“In other words, instead of broadening the minds to creative thinking and welfare programs for the masses, the Onanugas are chasing rat when the house is on fire,” the statement concluded.
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