Written Piece About The Oba’s Threat To The Igbos - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

following the recent chaos by the statement of the Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, where he threatened Igbos’ residing in Lagos to vote for the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Akinwunmi Ambode. In a piece published by Olisa.tv, Chimamanda Adichie like other celebrities and public figure wrote out an intense view concerning the mayhem. 


A few days ago, the Oba of Lagos threatened Igbo leaders. If they did not vote for his governorship candidate in Lagos, he said, they would be thrown into the lagoon.

 His entire speech was a flagrant performance of disregard. His words said, in effect: I think so little of you that I don’t have to cajole you but will just threaten you and, by the way, your safety in Lagos is not assured, it is negotiable. 

There have been condemnations of the Oba’s words. Sadly, many of the condemnations from non-Igbo people have come with the ugly impatience of expressions like ‘move on,’ and ‘don’t be over-emotional’ and ‘calm down.’

 These take away the power, even the sincerity, of the condemnations. It is highhanded and offensive to tell an aggrieved person how to feel, or how quickly to forgive, just as an apology becomes a non-apology when it comes with ‘now get over it.’

 Other condemnations of the Oba’s words have been couched in dismissive or diminishing language such as ‘The Oba can’t really do anything, he isn’t actually going to kill anyone. He was joking. He was just being a loudmouth.’