By Uche Udude

The Leader of Afenifere, the apex Yoruba socio-cultural organization, Pa Ayo Adebanjo, and Dr. Uma Eleazu, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Anya-Ndi-Igbo, have identified ‘political rascals’ as the brains behind harassment and attacks on Igbos in Lagos State during and after the just concluded political campaigns and general elections in the state.

Pa Adebanjo had, while receiving a delegation of the Lagos State chapter of Anya-Ndi-Igbo, a non-partisan, socio-political and economic development organization at his residence on Monday, reacted to allegation of treason levelled against Labour Party Presidential Candidate, Mr Peter Obi, by the Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.

In his response to the treason allegation, Pa Adebanjo wondered why Lai Mohammed kept quiet when the head of Lagos State Motor Parks and Garages, Musiliu Akinsanya, popularly known as MC Oluomo, openly incited widespread and sustained attacks against Ndigbo in Lagos State.

The elder statesman said: “Where was Lai Mohammed when Oluomo was saying the Igbos shouldn’t come out to vote?

“All the time they were killing people because of the election, Lai Mohammed kept quiet,” he said.

Explaining however that there is “no war” between Yoruba people and Ndigbo, Adebanjo, the Yoruba Leader, said whatever appears to be tension between the two ethnic groups in Lagos, “was the handiwork of some political rascals.”

He said: “Oluomo and all those who sponsor him, including those chiefs who were declaring Oro on Election Day, they are the political rascals.

“Since when have we been doing Oro on Election Day,” he asked, adding: “There is this insinuation that the Igbo are in battle with the Yoruba to take over Lagos. Nobody should succumb to this dangerous propaganda to sow seed of discord between us.

“We have had cordial relationship with the Igbo over the years and we are not having problems with them. Those trying to sow disunity must be careful,” he warned.

In his speech, Dr. Uma Eleazu, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Anya-Ndi-Igbo, who led the delegation to Adebanjo, also said there is no battle between the Yoruba and Ndigbo.

He pointed out that it was “mischief makers” who he specifically described as “little foxes that destroy the garden of relationship” that are propagating such insinuation.

The elder statesman said that those stoking embers of discord were doing great disservice to the unity of the two regions that have had cordial relationship over the years.

Eleazu said: “Anya-Ndi-Igbo, Lagos, comprising leaders of various Igbo Associations and Igbo Town Unions in Lagos, today paid a courtesy visit to Chief Ayo Adebanjo in his capacity as the leader of Afenifere to express our solidarity with his (Afenifere) stand on various national issues of mutual interest to the Yoruba and Igbo nations, and to plead with our Yoruba brothers and sisters not to succumb to the insinuations in sections of the press and social media that there is a battle for Lagos between Ndigbo and the Yoruba.

“There is no such battle. None. Zero.

“However, we have witnessed the activities of the little foxes that destroy the garden of our relationship. They are acting out the template of their masters. And we want all people of goodwill to do all they can to rein in such deviant behaviour before it gets out of hand.”

Photo Credit: TheNiche