Kenneth Okonkwo, a chieftain of the Labour Party, has fiercely criticized Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Information and Strategy, for his recent comments regarding the Igbo community’s involvement in Lagos politics.
Onanuga had expressed sentiments suggesting that Igbos are “aliens in Yorubaland” and warned against their interference in future political affairs, stating, “Let 2023 be the last time of Igbo interference in Lagos politics; Let there be no repeat in 2027.”
According to SUNDAY SUN, Okonkwo responded to these remarks by questioning the integrity of Tinubu’s administration, arguing that if the president is genuinely committed to a Nigeria free from ethnic bigotry, he should not have appointed Onanuga in the first place.
In his words, “Igbos are aliens in Yorubaland; they should never come near Lagos politics again. Onanuga threatened the Igbo ethnic stock when he said ‘Let 2023 be the last time of Igbo interference in Lagos politics; Let there be no repeat in 2027.’ If Tinubu is genuine when he postulated that ‘There is no place for ethnic bigotry or such threats in the Nigeria we seek to build,’ he wouldn’t have hired Onanuga in the first place.”
Okonkwo’s condemnation highlights the growing tensions surrounding ethnic relations in Nigeria’s political landscape. He emphasized that such divisive rhetoric only serves to deepen societal divides and undermine the unity necessary for national progress.
The backlash against Onanuga’s statements reflects a broader concern among various ethnic groups about the implications of exclusionary politics, particularly in a diverse nation like Nigeria. As discussions around inclusivity and representation continue, Okonkwo’s remarks serve as a call for a more tolerant and united political environment
