Ezekwesili, Fani-Kayode clash over anti-Igbo articles.
A former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili, has called on the government to arrest her ex-colleague, Femi Fani-Kayode, over opinion articles targeted at the Igbo ethnic group published by the later.
“If we had a functioning nation state with credible institutions they should by today take him in to restrain events,” Mrs Ezekwesili said.
She added, “The relevant agency of the FG must take in Femi Fani-Kayode and restrain him from making further hateful speeches against the Igbos.”
Mr. Fani-Kayode had written a controversial opinion piece entitled “The Bitter Truth About The Igbos” in what appears a reaction to the heated debate that followed Lagos’ repatriation of some destitute people believed to be of Anambra origin to Onitsha, a popular market town in the state.
In the “thoroughly candid and brutally frank” piece, Mr. Fani-Kayode touched on Nigeria’s turbulent history and what he considered the place of the Igbo in it all.
The article generated mixed reactions across the country, with some Igbo intellectuals publishing several counter articles lampooning the former minister.
The former minister followed up Tuesday with another piece which now appears to have triggered another round of controversy.
Mrs. Ezekwesili, also a former vice president at the World Bank, has now called on authorities to move against Mr. Fani-Kayode over the articles which she considers hateful and divisive.
Both Mr. Fani-kayode and Mrs. Ezekwesili served under the Olusegun Obasanjo administration as ministers.
A vicious tweet-fight
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| Femi Fani-Kayode |
Mrs. Ezekwesili, a respected opinion leader, and an Igbo herself, said Mr. Fani-Kayode’s opinion piece, published on NigerianEYE was “hateful” and potentially destabilising.
“The current slippery slope of our country cannot be allowed to worsen with the kind of hateful speeches Fani-Kayode has been releasing,” she said.
“FG must stop this stoking of hate-flame for an ethnic group that had once been tragically massacred in an avoidable civil war. Do it NOW!”
Mr. Fani-Kayode quickly hit back via his twitter handle, saying he has freedom of speech to comment on national issues.
In a series of tweets, he argued that his article should be used to correct “the wrong things done by our past leaders” instead of criticising him.
“Oby Ezekwesili should learn that we have the right to freedom of expression in Nigeria,” he said. “She should provide evidence of my “hate’ speech.”
But Mrs. Ezekwesili quickly countered. “Freedom of speech is not to be confused for Freedom to stoke hatred for people of different ethnic, religious or ideological persuasion,” she replied.
Mr. Fani-Kayode then declared that he was ready for a fight.
“When supposedly educated people run away from facing the truth they should be called to order. If Oby Ezekwezile wants a fight I am ready,” he said.
The former World Bank executive shot back. “I have no intentions of engaging Fani Kayode,” she said. “His hateful language is far gone from normal. In decent societies Governments respond to such.”
She further argued that Nigeria’s problem was not ethnic and that rather, it was “the curse of a CRASS elite class east-west-north-south.”
The altercation suddenly had a third character when the special assistant to the President on social media, Reno Omokiri, jumped in to mock the feuding former ministers.
Both Mr. Fani-Kayode and Mrs. Ezekwesili are considered by the presidency as critical of President Goodluck Jonathan and his administration.
The duo had at various times clashed with the administration after criticising it over its inability to deliver good governance to the country.
“Days ago, a bitter man used hate speech on the President. We kept quiet. Don’t tolerate hate speech until its directed at your own ethnicity,” Mr. Omokri said in a tweet apparently directed at Mrs. Ezekwesili.
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Agbayas and oloriburukus, people without shame, every single one of them. We are about to free ourselves from your shackles. Time is nigh.....
ReplyDeleteSilly people.....*hissing*
Yogi d fucking Bear......
She has spoken well,,, if we continue to allow all kinds of comment on our medias one day the likes of FFK will create problem that can lead to Civil war.
ReplyDeleteArrested for what, for airing his views? If she doesn't like it, she should counter write against him like other prominent Igbo writers have done; why calling for his arrest?
ReplyDeleteIt amazes me how truth hurts so much. Lie to people and they will like u all day, but tell them the truth and u become their enemy. Take it or leave it, Femi's article contains raw truth. I have never read a better peice in d last ten years.
ReplyDeleteSo U have not been reading since d last ten years? I'm sure u are dat Edo state teacher dat can't read or her child! what truth did u hear from dat cocaine addict by d way? Pls go and read Eze goes 2 school if u are bored!
DeleteHahahaha! Hilarious!
DeleteI think femi fani-kayode is just writting his views. Calling for his arrest is far fetched. If Femi is to be arrested then the likes os Asari dokubo should not be spared. I condemn every unguided speech that could truncate the unity of this country as much as I condemn the actions that violate the expresion of right to freedom of speech. God bless Nigeria.
Deletefkk is idle.
ReplyDeleteThis "TRUTH" that is INTOXICATING some of U, may make U RUN to COTONU as a REFUGEE.
ReplyDeleteLol mehn...well said
DeleteWould the yorubas agree for the igbos to leave Nigeria this time? That will solve the problem
ReplyDeletethe truth is democracy is an illusion, a bitch at best. ffk is making a mess of democracy by colliding 2 different tribes of a nation using democracy itself.
ReplyDeleteMadam due process. why not follow due process if you want him arrested. You are one of the igbo majority that benefited from yoruba in terms of education and position in Nigeria.
ReplyDeleteCaution your people to learn to bahave like normal people. Hausa have never claimed to own Lagos despite being in charge for 35years. I wonder what will hapen if Igbo happen to be in position of Hausa.
We knew what Ironsi did in six months. he altered the government structure at the centre from federalism to unitary system to facilitate domination of other tribes. He followed it with fixing igbo in strategic positions.
Imagine the role played by igbo in this regime in marginalising yoruba. Yet nobody is crying as they are best in playing second fiddle to the north. Better as Secretary etc
Not satisfied they are claiming other people's land and you want Fani to be quiet mba! mba!!!
Enough of this Igbo's excesses. Boko Haram has been killing all tribes in the North, igbo's still stayed glued to the North. They might as well leave to form their Biafra state. They are the worst landlord and tenant in Lagos. Fani made sense pls.
DeleteI hope someone didn't just call Femi Keyode his idle. A drug and sex addict? I can see why some of you are myopic and easily deceived, you spend time worshiping hypocrites all in the name of ethnicity.
ReplyDeleteIYALA MAN!!
ReplyDeleteTHE IGBO MAN OWNS LAGOS ABI!!!
I HOPE YOU WILL HAVE FIRST RELOCATED YOUR WARDS BEFORE YOU BEGIN THE TAKEOVER.
I WANDER HOW YOU WILL CONNECT THE RELEVANT ROADS TO YOUR LEACHED ABODE
BUT AGAIN, THEY SAY ITS DEMOCRAZY!!!
ITS YOUR RIGHT TO $%^^&&*.
GOD BLESS THE KANO MAN AGAIN AND AGAIN....
I much as I do not support Fani Kayode's idiotic view, he still has freedom of speech aand should not be arrested for airing his opinion.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteWE ARE ONE NIGERIA WHETHER IGBO, HAUSA OR YORUBA..PLEASE LET'S STOP THIS CRAZY WAR OK.
ReplyDeleteTHINK ABOUT USA, THE HAVE EVEN MORE TRIBAL, RELIGIOUS, ETHNIC, POLITICAL AND CULTURAL GROUPS THAN WE DO YET THE ARE IN PEACE.
UNITED WE STAND.
Great Femi Fani-Kayode... Great Yorubas..., as an educated Hausa-man from Sokoto-state, if it happens that my Great-people of Yoruba-origin engages in tribal-war with the Igbos, honestly I can assure you that 98% of the Hausa-origin will support the Yorubas bcz its a known fact since independence that the Northerns prepare to associate with the Yorubas than the Igbos, if u're in doubt please kindly conduct a survey among the 19-states of the Northern-origin.
ReplyDeleteOby sounds like Abacha or do we need another Oshomole to screen her?
ReplyDeleteIt is dissapointing that Oby could not address the issues raised by Fani- Kayode . Instead she is calling for his.arrest in a democracy! She also could not even attempt to be fair- Where was she when Peter Obi wrote his propaganda letter to FG where he told lies and half truths about the deportation issue...or when Orji insulted Yoruba race by his artcle that Lagos is no mans land?. Why didnt she call for their arrest or at least call them to order or acknowledge the part of Igbos in this issue?. This is exactly part of the problem Fani-Kayode was highlighting. Let us address the facts and discuss both sides of the debate with fairness. Thats when we can move forward as one nation. Not one group , whether east or west or south ingraining in their collective consciousness that 'we must have it all without due regard to others, we can hoodwink them with insults and lies and achieve our aim'.
ReplyDeleteIt is rather pathetic that the Yorubas have found a spokesman for their collective aspirations in the person of Mr. Fani-Kayode. what a pity! Well! before I am carried away with this craps and vituperations from FFK, I would like to reserve my meaningful comments until I hear from worthy and well respected Yoruba opinion leaders. For all I care Fani-Kayode is not the face nor the voice and position of the Yorubas. Again, if well meaning Yoruba leaders keep silent in the face of these provocative and hatred filled verbosities of Mr. Fani-Kayode, then WE would take it as an act of aggressions against the Ndi Igbo by the Yorubas. Make no mistakes about what we the Igbo would do in retaliation.
ReplyDeleteU think respected yoruba leaders will be draged into this show of shamed ignited by ur orji? Then u will wait till eternity.. If the likes of Ezekwesili canot defend the simple 'truth' by Femi instead calling for his arrest in a suposed 'not functioning' state because he exercise his freedom of speech jst as orji did when he called lagos a 'no man's land', then don't expect any defence. May b u shuld wait for a rejoinder from Okonjo? As to ur retaliation, have it in mind that d population of igbos in southwest overshadows that of yorubas in the east... The outcome is obvious already.
Deleteshut up tony nworah . you are dan iska .
ReplyDelete15 August, 2013
ReplyDeleteMan Buries Brother’s Son Alive For Money Rituals
A man and two other accomplices have been arrested and charged to court for burying his 3-year old brother’s son alive for money making ritual.
The incident happened in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, southwest Nigeria.
The man, Amidu Jimoh, 25, was arrested along with the herbalist, John Joseph, 60, who allegedly told him to carry out the dastardly act, along with another suspect, Maliki Aderounmu, 27.
I LIKE THIS: 'Caution your people to learn to bahave like normal people. Hausa have never claimed to own Lagos despite being in charge for 35years. I wonder what will hapen if Igbo happen to be in position of Hausa' FANI, ODOUAs SUPPORTED YOU 100% move ON!!!!!!!!!!!!1
ReplyDeleteLet us stop this rubbish, Love one another and fight your commom enemy.
ReplyDeleteGod bless Nigeria.
All this altercation emanated when the Ladipo Market Auto parts traders rejected the Baba-loja(market leader) that was imposed on them. They called for democratic means of selecting a leader. a means through which Obama a black man is ruling USA today. My brothers and sisters No civilized society is built on the foundation of tribal sentiment. Gone are the days of " another tribe becoming a landlord in another tribal land". That was the mind set of he Europeans and the Americans during the era of Martin luther King. They have since left it behind and we cannot afford to pick up what was discarded by the western world. It will be expedient if we practice the democracy that we preach. It is a common phenomenon for anybody to migrate to a greener land. If our historical background has not given Lagos state the advantage of being the commercial centre of the nation attracting people from different tribes, its population wouldn't have been as dense as it is and it would not have been as developed as it is. Our brothers and sisters from the south west should give peace a chance and stop this non-meaningful verbal altercation and allow the politicians looking for fame to do their things.
ReplyDeleteThis is the most sensible opinion I've ever read about this issue. So brief, neutral and full of facts. God bless you bro. It's Siraj
DeleteWhen we learn to understand unity in diversity then probably we will also learn that truth as it is is not only bitter but can be come biased especially when it is said with a specific reason and to achieve a discordant purpose. Facts are facts and sacred, the fact that an argument is presented with true facts and possess a deduceable and valid conclusion does not make it TRUE! My people let's disagree to agree we are one. My take Edo boy
ReplyDeleteWhat is the threat about? I'm dissapointed with oby!! Why arrest Fani Kayode!! For airing his views?? Come of it Madam-self-righteous! This has exposed your inability to take criticisms while you dish it out generously! Your voice should be that of caution to both sides!
ReplyDeleteLet the igbos do whatever they want to do! Becos one man from a tribe writes an opinion piece you are threatning the entire tribe! Igbos are so intolerant and uneducated bunch!
ReplyDeleteThat excatly wat problem is.If at d level of OBI with all her exposure internationally the major thing she can say to this is dt somebody should be arrested for writing on a blog then u can imagine the rest...Hw come she did nt call for arrest when her brothers were writing that becos they owns shops in lagos then Lagos is now extension of onitsha? Am highly disappointed. If FFK is a politician is OBI too a politician?
ReplyDeleteAll tribes have good and bad people. I think those who started this should be held accountable for all the pains this issue is causing. God bless people like Fani Kayode. He is a true Yoruba man as he has shown the world that he is not a bastard. How many people can speak the truth and stand by it? You may call him any names you like but he remains to be well respected by many who value the truth. So all he has written is nothing but the truth. If it's not truth, by now somebody should have come forward with a rejoinder. I have read what others have written as rejoinder but it holds no water. I am sorry to say that the Igbos are ingreats and thieves. They are too possessive. To be honest, I know some of the things Fani wrote before I entered University and for this reason, I delibrately stayed away from the Igbo students. They are so dishonest. Nigeria has a bad name or reputation abroad is simply because of the evils perpetrated by some Igbos. Please display no surprise should Boko Haram saga be traced to the Igbos simple because of money. I think the race is cursed and it's expected because there's law of karma. You cannot kill an innocent and go free. Look at the way they killed the likes of Akintola, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa etc. It's a sad story that should not have been brought up in the first place but the Igbos caused it. I am sure this write up will shut them up and if they like let them make more trouble and they will regret for life. Already the war they started is still haunting them. Unfortunately they are destroying the future of their people and generation yet unborn. Fani Kayode, may you live long....the Yorubas need many of you who are courageous, nice and patrotic. This is nothing but a bitter truth. You have made your points for which they failed to correct. Fani, you need not respond to them again. Silence is the best answer for the fools. If they like, they should keep on abusing people who write things that make sense, I will manage to read and understand their language. God bless Nigeria.
ReplyDeleteYou may need to read thru your comments once more to see how faultless you are. A lot of grammatical errors,yet you'll manage to read and understand their language. They are so possessive bcos they have bought almost all you have. Don't forget you sold your properties to them,now they have become possessive. You cannot eat your cakeand still have it. You guys are in for a ssurprise if you're fermenting trouble as a possible means of dispossessing people of all you have sold in Lagos. Speak the truth! You talk about coup d'etat. Go thru records and find out all that were involved, don't single out the Ibos involved. Moreover, of all the coup d'etats in the Nigerian history,how many were spearheaded by the Ibos. This has brought out the bad belle all of you have for the IBOS but it still surprises me why you don't grant them their own Nation so that you can refuse them Entry Visa into your Continent........Chris Abara.
Deletethis two have made their money and are trying to make fame,
ReplyDeletethe reality off the dichotomy between the different ethnic groups in Nigeria cannot be ruled out but truth be told, no tribe wants to be called a second class citizen in a sovereign nation called Nigeria. but if state government starts deporting each wards/states on the basis of tribe, it become an issue of concern. our so called leaders like ffk and oby should create employment for the youth and stop all the bigotry. i rest my case
oby and ffk have make money now they want fame! truth be told no person wants to be called a second class citizen in a sovereign state called Nigeria. but its worrisome when are leaders start deportation in a sovereign state.they should concentrate and create employment for the youth
ReplyDeleteI have gone thru FFK's Tribalistic publications carefully,I don't see what truth needs countering as his people have always asked for. It would have made sense if he went ahead to educate the Ibos on their history which he tasked them to research in his write up. He should have gone aheadto tell us those things that our Ancestors did to Nigeria 80-100yrs ago,at least for tthe sake of the generation that weren't born then & for those yet to be born. After this aspect of his speech he further intimated the world how he flirted with several IBO ladies without marrying any of them. He should also have told us what prevented him from solemnizing any of those relationships. He told us how his grand father & his father taught IBO men in the past. I should believe also that no IBO man has ever taught a Yoruba man. I have search his write up for things to respond to but got nothing. I hope his arsenals can sail thru turbulent waters as he has told us how much he's prepared to stand anyone that can challenge him. I hope that's not a war drum he's beating. I only understood from his write up that the Yoruba especially those from Lagos have suddenly realised how much of their land they have sold to non-Lagosians especially to the Ibos,& now they wish to sow the seed of turbulence to enable them dispossess them,HOW SMART! Well,I see so many people are still deceived by the events of the civil war. People must note that so many things have changed,the parameters are no longer the same. I hope this issue does not lead us towards that direction. I think Mrs Ezekwesili has a point asking the FG to intervene & take in FFK before this issue takes another dimension. Yes,we have freedom of expression but when our expressions lead to disorder & total anarchy it becomes something else. Don't we forget the popular police caution" you have the right to remain silent as whatever you say may be used against you in the court of law". With all his eloquence & marvellous control of the English language,I should expect that he's mentally sound. But he sounds to me,a deranged person,someone who has lost focus. He commands well the language but seems not to know the true meaning of TRIBLISM. He needs to spend more time going through the constitution of the FGN. I hope his courage at this beginning lasts to the end 'cos we all know how courageous the Yorubas can be......Chris Abara.
ReplyDeleteRUBBISH,FFK is only seeking attention and u all a busy giving it to him.Mcheeeeeew
ReplyDeletethere should be freedom of speech. any attempt to arrest Ffk will result in problem in dis country cos Yoruba protests and reaction can actually lead to a full blown tribal war between d West and east. I proper more subtle solutions will be required.
ReplyDeleteNice one chris...If the war breaks...can they stand?Peace and love should be our watch word...what happened then will overturn this time and we know the brave ones.It's not going to be fun.Let's watch our words and speech.
ReplyDeletedos of u frm the west abusing ACN &APC and running after PDP can u see the writting on the wall now? another term for PDP and ibos woul"ve acquired all the neeeded power to launch attack on lagos. think well now and forget about money and position
ReplyDeleteNoise makers, they make noise when Abiola & his wife was killed, they have started the noise again, when it start they will be noway to be found. So nobody should take them serious.
ReplyDeleteIgbos with their big heads but tiny brain are cowards. Let's have it and u will run with ur tails between ur legs. Dont commit suicide in ur millions again cos u Ndigbo will totally become history if u try that. We are gentle and very accomodating but our patience has limits. Do not invite another calamity upon urself- u have enough already with ur massive massacre in the north. A world is enough for the wise.
ReplyDeleteAnyone who gets up to sing the praise of his ethnic group would expect immediate support from some who are less articulate. People asking the Igbos to research history and appreciate the TRUTH that FFK was alluding to. They talk as though these vilified Igbos decided in a certain meeting to go to Lagos and buy up the lands they own. The original owners of Lagos area are the Yorubas, no doubt. However, due to commerce and the exigencies of government, many sold off their lands and faced other pursuits. Igbos aren't all tradersas some seem to think. They are well spread out in all fields, and they excel. They Yorubas are no push over. I am a product of a Federal Government College, and some of my dearest friends are Yorubas. Did someone say that FFK went to King's College? That's also an FGC. How did he fail to imbibe the raison d'être for creating those August schools?
ReplyDeleteI am not going to defend the Igbos. They need that. Saying that someone is greedy because he became rich is quite strange. One should hail such a person for succeeding,in his chosen field. Someone even said that the great flag bearer of Nigeria, Dr Philip Emeagwali doesn't have a PHD. Does he know that he is credited for being the Father of the Internet through which medium FFK can now spread his hate-filled message.
Saying that he gave his life to Christ in an Igbo man-owned church shows how shallow his commitment is. Christians see all as souls that need saving. Once you areole, you do not see churches asbelongingto mere mortals. I humbly submit that he should revisit his conversion experience.
I di not want a war with the Yorubas. The Yorubas I know would not ask him to send out such diatribe in the name of telling the truth.
Talking about the truth, does speaking xenophobic, ethnically hating prejudices stand for the truth, pray tell. Those others who insist on saying that the Igbos are claiming to own Lagos are giving me news. I am proudly an Igbo, lived in Lagos for years before leaving Nigeria. I happily paid rents to my landlady, a Yoruba, without ever demanding she gives me back my land. It wasn't mine. If I had bought the house, it would be, and no amount of crying wolf would make me not say it was mine.
I don't want to, nor do I have the time to go into the reason for this brouhaha in the firs place. Maybe when I make out the time, I would. As for Femi calling Igbos names, I leave him to that. As the Asiwaju of African writers, Wole Soyinka, once said while replying to attacks from Senghor and the negritude bloc: "A TIGER does not need to proclaim its TIGRITUDE".
Austen d booble head saying cheap low rent lies as genetically encoded in your being. you rant cos you have a mouth failing to home in on the target. Didn't know you are dis air headed. I am familiar with Peeps like you shooting blanks and bringing up d rear in there class. dumb shmock
ReplyDeleteD yorubas r known for one thing or rather two things, having a loud mouth n being a coward. D ibos r known for not having unity amongst dem selves. I am not an igbo but i will advice dem not to battle words with d loud mouthed women(yorubas, cos dey have not men, ALL WOMEN) cos all dey know how to do is insult. Ffk is not civilised n educated cos if he is he won't behave like a typica yoruba woman. Nigerian should strive for peace n unity n stop all this hating n tribalism. It won't help us. Just an observer
ReplyDeleteAnonymous 9.39, u are a bias observer unfit to be a peace maker. The Igbos should leave d yorubas alone. The yorubas should leave the igbos alone. Let's leave d matter to God and to common sense. Am sure the entire east can't take Lagos from d Yorubas even if they employ the BKs of ds world.Ile baba eni ko se ni to le gba! And home is home. Every sojourner must surely go home dead or alive. Ajo ko le dun ko ni le ma re le. The igbos know their homeland. So why do we need to be exchanging words. To say "I am more succesful than u" is not by word of mouth, posterity will judge for the bible says that a good man leaves an inheritance for his grandchildren. Ti awon ba mo pe teni ni teni, won ko ni fi ajo se ile ki won wa fi ile se ajo.O ma se o. Eyin omo Odua, e tesiwaju ninu ore sise, awon alale ile wa oni fi wa sile to ri pe eni n da eru, ni eru nto.
ReplyDelete