Okey Ikechukwu, the executive director of Development Specs Academy, has reacted to comments by Rueben Abati, a former presidential spokesperson, who remarked that Igbos in Nigeria’s south-east region do not sell land to non-indigenes.
On Thursday, while hosting ‘The Morning Show’ on Arise TV,
Abati spoke about how the late Theophilus Benson, minister of information in
the first post-independence government, narrated how Igbos do not sell lands to
“outsiders”.
He added that the former minister, popularly known as TOS
Benson, could not purchase land in a south-east town despite marrying a woman
from that community.
Abati’s remarks elicited a series of comments on social
media.
While some supported his perspective, others criticised the
renowned journalist for x-raying a subject as sensitive as ethnicity.
In an interview with Arise TV on Sunday, Okechukwu said the
in-laws of TOS Benson “donated land” to the former minister in the town instead
of selling him one.
Okechukwu said the town’s indigenes donated land to Benson
which he used for the construction of a post office.
“First, he started by pointing out some good things about
some people from that part of the country. Then he made a reference to the
comments of TOS Benson. Reuben Abati was not speaking as himself, but he made a
reported speech. He was telling us what he heard,” Okechukwu said.
“Number two, there is this perception; if a man as Benson
would say this, then there is also a possibility that this is factually
correct.
“But what if the statement is not correct? You would say
he’s not a flippant person, that is correct. But what if in that instance the
statement is not correct?
“I asked that question because knowing for a fact; T.O.S.
Benson’s in-laws and Mbieri people. That’s the place of former minister of
education, Obaji and the husband, Sam. He’s their in-law; he was their in-law.
“For the record and all of us, Mbieri people donated land to
T.O.S. Benson in the town, which he used, at his own discretion, to construct a
post office for the people. The structure is still there.
“So, recontextualisation, Reuben did not set out to
misinform anybody with his statement, but he was correctly quoting Chief
Benson.”
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