Fani-Kayode asks if Obasanjo is a rascal over silence on Iwanyanwu’s insult

Former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode, has taken to social media to express his disappointment in former President Olusegun Obasanjo for not speaking up against a derogatory statement made by an Igbo elder statesman, Emmanuel Iwanyanwu, about the Yoruba race.

Iwanyanwu had reportedly described the entire Yoruba race as “rascals” that the Igbo people “will deal with.” In reaction to this, Fani-Kayode took to his Twitter page on Sunday to express his concerns about Obasanjo’s silence. Fani-Kayode wondered if Obasanjo, who he worked under his administration for years, is truly a Yoruba man for him to have kept mum despite how insulting Iwanyanwu’s statement was.

He said, “The fact that our revered leader and one of the fathers of our nation, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, can sit there and say nothing when Chief (Dr.) Emmanuel Iwanyanwu, an elder statesman who I have always respected, describes the entire Yoruba race as “rascals” that the Igbo “will DEAL with” tells me that the rumor that he is NOT a fully-fledged Yoruba man and that his father was an Igbo may well be true. Whatever the case, this is not the OBJ I once knew, loved, defended, and worked so hard for. Something has gone wrong.”

Fani-Kayode went on to state that nobody could have made such a statement against any tribe in Nigeria in the presence of Obasanjo years back, and the former president would not have allowed the person to get away with it. He added, “He would have got up and told them off. As for Iwanyanwu, I will not respond to him or to all those that were at that event and that collectively rubbished our people because they are my in-laws, and because my four sons are half Igbo. There is nothing Iwanyanwu can say that will make me turn against the Igbo because I have blood and family ties with them, and I will continue to love them despite this outrageous provocation.”

Fani-Kayode argued further that Iwanyanwu does not represent the people he mentioned when he calls the Yoruba race rascals, and neither does he represent the wives of Seyi Makinde, Rotimi Akeredolu, Ademola Adeleke, Gbadebo ‘Chinedu’ Rhodes-Vivour, David Adedeji Adeleke (AKA Davido), and himself, who all happen to be Igbo.

He said, “What I will say, though, is that those Igbos that think like Iwanyanwu need to be careful and appreciate the fact that those so-called “Yoruba rascals” have shown the Igbo race more love, respect, admiration, fraternity, solidarity, and courtesy over the last 63 years than ANY other tribe in Nigeria, and millions of Yoruba men have Igbo wives. Again, many Yoruba leaders stood with and supported Peter Obi in his ill-fated quest to become President of Nigeria, including Pa Ayo Adebanjo, OBJ, Afenifere, Akin Oshuntokun, Gbadebo ‘Chinedu’ Rhodes-Vivour, Babatunde Gbadamosi, and so many others. I wonder if they are “rascals” too?”

Fani-Kayode, who has been a strong advocate for unity among Nigeria’s diverse ethnic groups, also pointed out that many Yoruba leaders have supported the candidacy of Igbo politicians, including Peter Obi, in their quest for the presidency. He cited Pa Ayo Adebanjo, OBJ, Afenifere, Akin Oshuntokun, Gbadebo ‘Chinedu’ Rhodes-Vivour, Babatunde Gbadamosi, and many others as examples.

He reminded Chief Iwanyanwu, Ohaneze and Afenifere of the handshake across the Niger, where they all made inspiring speeches seeking for a closer relationship and greater collaboration between their people. He recalled that they were in full solidarity with the Igbo then and lamented the injustices they had been subjected to over the years.

Fani-Kayode, who has been a vocal critic of the current administration, urged all Nigerians to come together and fight against their common enemies, who he believes are those in power. He said that the current crop of leaders has failed the people, and that it’s time for Nigerians to unite and take their destiny into their own hands.