Chief Bode George, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has strongly criticized recent calls for Igbo people to leave Lagos, labeling the campaign as “arrant nonsense.” Speaking at his Ikoyi office during an interactive media session about the state of the nation, George, a native of Lagos and retired army officer, expressed his deep dismay at the divisive rhetoric.
“It’s absurd. I call that blatantly absurd,” George said, questioning the logic behind the call for the relocation of Igbo people from Lagos. “Why do we feel that the Igbo people ought to relocate? Here, we’ve developed with them. They were people I knew. Together, we engaged in neighborhood football games.”
He emphasized that those making such proposals are not true Lagosians. “In Lagos, we welcome traders. Bring your wares, we look at it, we buy it, you make your money, we give you land to build. That is the culture of Lagos. Those making these ridiculous proposals are unrelated to Lagos and have no familial ties there.”
Reflecting on history, George recalled the significant contributions of the Igbo community to Lagos, highlighting that his great-grand uncle, Sir Herbert Macaulay, was politically aligned with Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, an Igbo man and Nigeria’s first President. “Why are you fighting them? Does it make sense? Lagos State was created in 1967. Since that time to now, the Igbo have had their contributions.”
George warned against the spread of such divisive campaigns, stating, “Such a campaign is idiotic. Very idiotic. They should stop.” He further noted that those inciting such hatred were likely not native Lagosians but individuals who had migrated from other states.
“They ought to stop talking. Why are they preventing others from entering if they have the right to? The Igbo people have something unique to offer. They are both purchasing and constructing homes. They are aiding in the growth of Lagos’s business community. They’re very welcome,” George concluded.
The social media campaigns pushing for Igbo people to leave Lagos have been particularly active in the lead-up to the nationwide #EndBadGovernmentInNigeria protest. President Bola Tinubu has also condemned these ethnic sentiments, stating in a recent national broadcast that such attitudes have no place in Nigeria.
