Mr Femi Fani-Kayode, Homophobia is a crime against humanity
Igbo destitution and
lunacy in Lagos rose to 14 on Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola’s counting (upto
200 by other people’s counts) and he relocated them to the Onitsha Bridge on
the River Niger. Some describe the governor’s action as deportation; others
describe it as the onset of ethnic cleansing, igbophobia. Governor Fashola is a
lawyer, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN).
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Former Abia State
Governor Orji Uzor Kalu demanded apology from the Lagos Governor, or legal
action otherwise, and in the process described Lagos as “no man’s land”. [I did
live in Kano, off Airport Road, an area called ‘no man’s land’, during my
National Youth Service Corps programme; nothing makes me think that this
nomenclature contributed in any way to the igbophobia of the 1960s and 1970s].
And Gov Orji is not a lawyer.
Then came the
igbophobic serialisation “The bitter truth about the Igbo”, a gospel according to Mr. Femi Fani Kayode (FFK), the self proclaimed half-Lagosian.
He invoked racial hatred against the Igbos in his laborious attempts to
establish the origin/ownership of Lagos. FFK is also a lawyer. The
copious writer then strayed into diverse topics, including a more laborious one
where he had to show his love of Igbo people deriving from dating their women
while in Cambridge or elsewhere.
Gov Fashola offered
his qualified apology, after receiving a herd of cattle (I do not know how many
units) from the Igbos. I hope that Orji Uzor Kalu is satisfied with this
apology! In came again the half-Lagosian
this time attempting to retract Gov Fashola’s apology. He again laboriously
interpreted to the rest of us that the Governor’s apology was not an apology,
stating that he (FFK) would not have even done it if he were in the governor’s
shoes. He used the platform again to further unfold his hatred for the Igbos.
A stitch in time
saves nine. Allowing for my not being current with this issue, I have the
impression that the Lagos State House of Assembly has not said anything about
this, even Osun State HA has not distanced itself from the igbophobic write-up
of someone who is half their own. The National orientation agency has said
nothing. The presidency has said nothing either. Completing President
Yar’Adua’s term of office and now one of his own, adding to about ‘one and a
half’, President Goodluck Jonathan is, therefore, more presidential than FFK is
a lagosian! It is expected therefore that the President would protect NIGERIA
and all its ethnic diversity more than FFK does Lagos. President Goodluck
Jonathan is not a lawyer either.
The Federal
Legislature has said nothing despite being on oath to defend our country
Nigeria, and protect its ethnic diversity. I do know that the legislature is
distracted by many things (this explains why to date 620 Faroukas still make 1
Otedollar!). Legislators are law makers, what about the judiciary? The judiciary
barely exists and is the anchor of all Nigeria ills. The judiciary is mostly
lawyers!
A stitch in time
saves nine, and those who are supposed to stitch are not, talk less of doing it
in time.
FFK’s serialised
article in the NigerianEYE, “The bitter truth about the Igbo”, has not stopped
attracting comments from various sources. I remark the absence, at the moment,
of copious support by his Yoruba folks. This on its own makes me wonder why I
have chosen to comment on the issue, despite this disregard by the Yoruba
community. Support of FFK igbophobia might pick up tempo. This is
short-sightedness of a tribalist, despite whatever he was able to imbibe from Cambridge,
a cosmopolitan little town north of London. Cambridge University came from
Oxford, I am sure FFK knows. He studied there yet remained glued to his tribal
values, you can take the animal out of the bush they say but taking the bush
out of the animal would be another matter. He went to Cambridge with his tribal
blood and came back with it (yes he went to study, not for bone marrow
transplant). An educated tribalist would be more dangerous than an illiterate
one. This is my concern. I do not wish to challenge FFK on his right to freedom
of expression, whether he applied it in Lagos where he is a self-acclaimed partial indigene or even in Abuja (where
he was not an indigene) but worked
there as a Minister of Aviation, or indeed anywhere else in NIGERIA, including
Ile-Ife where his ancestors dropped from heaven!
I will not even fault
him for his copious enjoyment of the proceeds from oil emerging from parts of
Nigerian land that he does not wish to defend as his own, nor the savoury of
Gov Fashola’s cuisine prepared from the Igbo cow gift, coming from other parts
of Nigeria that FFK does not lay claim to.
I am a fan of his
interest on diverse issues. This time FFK is promoting homophobia, whether he
realises it or not, so he loses my support.
Let us look at a case from the European Union.
Marine Le Pen, is
a French politician and the president of the Front National (FN), the third-largest political party in France. She is the youngest daughter of the French politician Jean-Marie Le Pen, founder, former President of
the FN and currently its honorary chairman. Marine Le Pen stirred up controversy while making a speech to the party
faithful in Lyon in 2010. She said
that the weekly illegal blocking of public streets and squares throughout
France for Muslim prayers was comparable to the occupation of parts of French
territory thus drawing parallel with the German
occupation of France during World War II. She has been a Member of the
European Union Parliament since 2004 (initially representing Île-de-France: 2004–2009 and currently North-West France: 2009–present). She is one of the three
FN MEPs.
Marine Le pen
compared the presence of the Moslems in the streets of Britain to Nazi
occupation and following outcry by the media and politicians she was, this
year, stripped of her EU parliamentary immunity to face trial for homophobia.
Nigeria has been harmed by homophobia these last few years especially as
perpetrated by Boko Haram. The Federal Government and other Nigerians are doing
their bit to curtail the harm. Wrong time therefore it is to incite homophobia
from another geographical area of the country, especially perpetrated by a
former Minister of the Federal Republic and who hails from a long line of those
that have benefitted immensely from the multi-tribe Nigeria. FFK should know
better. Marine Le
Pen and FFK are lawyers by profession. If Nigeria fails to deal with issues like these, it will set a
dangerous precedence that could promote genocide reminiscent of the pogrom and
civil war against the Igbos. FFK did delve into the Nigerian civil war albeit
naively. I imagine that the loudest sound of an aircraft he must have heard
would be the Dana air crash near Lagos, that is, if his ears are attached to
his Lagos half. Those of us, who experienced the war at such a young age, be it
the blazing machines of war or the Awolowo-orchestrated starvation that brought
kwashiorkor into our language, would
dread a repeat. Whipping sentiments that engender racial tension against any
tribe, especially the Igbo again is, to say the least, wicked. May I draw FFK’s
attention to the fact that admirers of Gen Yakubu Gowon are still at a
difficulty in discountenancing the claim that the conduct of the war against
the Igbos was genocidal and thus constituting war crimes that may be of
interest to the ICC. Though FFK said that the Igbos inflicted the war on
themselves, the Nigeria civil war (Biafran war) did look, did feel and did
smell like genocide, therefore it is genocide! FFK, please do not incite
another. May I say, once more, that a stitch in time saves NAIJA!
May I remind FFK
therefore that if Nigeria fails (unwilling or unable) to deal with the issue
genuinely and satisfactorily that, like with Gov Ibori, a trial can still take
place outside the shores of Nigeria. Homophobia is a crime against humanity.
And I am not a lawyer!
Ignatius Oparaji
Onyeocha
A Genetic Engineer at
Federal University of Technology, Owerri.
Email:
ignatius.onyeocha@ntlworld.com
Very poor Write up! What should the Presidency do? Freedom of speech,poor bitter man!
ReplyDeleteI am looking for the situation when NGO or government agency would take FFK up on this matter.
ReplyDeleteMr Engineer, this is a foregone issue why are you bringing it up again?. If you have nothing to write about you better save your energy for something else. We don't want this matter re-surfacing again. One Nigeria.
ReplyDeleteFfk should look very well before he leaps , as his loud mouth will land him in a bigger trouble soonest. Kudos mr. Onyeocha.
ReplyDeletePls enough of all these . Let's go ahead and discuss other issues. This matter is already over-flogged.
ReplyDeleteSome Animals are just over heating this Issue,,, enough of all this Igbo Issue
ReplyDeleteThe most ill-informed write-up i have ever read. The igbo's started a war, trying to break away from Nigeria, the national troops tried to prevent that, a civil war ensued, people were killed on both side, the igbo's put their tails between their legs an ran, as usuall, unable to finish what they started, and you call that genocide?
ReplyDeleteDoes this writer know the meaning of Homophobia?. Homophobia is an irrational fear of gays and lesbians. This article is not about homosexuals, so why did he talk about homophobia?
ReplyDeleteTribalists you won't see anything wrong with FFK did, since he is your own.
ReplyDeleteTribalists you won't see FFK incitements against Igbo ethnic nationalities which could lead to another ethnic cleansing as it was during the Biafra war. You could not see the excitement and joy FFK expressed in his write-ups for the killing of the Igbos in the Northern, and his wishes that the West does same, according to him to "checkmate" the Igbos. In a real or true society, such religious or tribal incitements against others attracts serious jail terms and FFK stands the risk. He has been instigating hatred against the Ibos through his numerous articles, praying for attacks on the Ibos.The records of all this is at the public domain. Though it might be he is acting on script, if what he is asking for happens (God forbid), well he may not be able to deny it. As a Lawyer he should have understood better. I hope Tambuwal and his group who rushes to invite people to house for explanation, will summon FFK for question. The way he rushes to invite Service Chiefs or Minister when there is a reprisal of any sort against Boko Haram killing Nigerians. In this case the people being attacked by FFK and his supporters are not Terrorists nor Militants but the entire people from one of the major tribes in the country. Should anything start happening in the south west, south south and environs against Ibos, he and his supporters are liable.
ReplyDeleteMr engineer,this is a foregone issue if you don't have anything to write about safe your energy and time for something else.
ReplyDeleteThis article is poorly written.
ReplyDeleteI cant see any different between you and FFK,is dis write up prommote peace @all.We need to wake up in dis country
ReplyDeleteMUMU WRITE UP! Let bygone be bygone, abi U want to join FANI "BAKIN KANDA" KAYODE?
ReplyDeleteWhat's this nonsense here? Are you deluded or what? What is homophobia? How are Fani Kayode's write-ups related to homosexual? Is this writer a child? Is he saying Igbos are homosexuals? Nonsense.
ReplyDeleteNow i now why our ivory towers are churning out half-baked graduates.FG should earnestly conduct assessment tests for our 'egg heads'.My Engineer you are pathetic,sir
ReplyDeleteIs this writer really educated or trained in the University. So poor a write up.
ReplyDeleteI'm disappointed that this kind of farce was even published at all. Homophobia? If my eyes don't deceive me, it seems the dude is a lecturer sef. Naija Education has collapsed o!
ReplyDeleteI am convinced, enough about this issue. Nigerians are fed up with unneccessary agitations such as this. There are other important issues to face.My advice to the publisher of this paper is to put an end to this issue. Nigeria is an entity, indivisible which must be by God's grace. I wonder what must have brought this issue into the open again. Governor Fashola of Lagos State has openly apologized to the Igbo community and that apology should close the matter permanently.
ReplyDeleteThis writer is an educated illiterate, FFK is a man worth his onions. You must be a lecturer at futo, I tell you the yorubas embraced the white mans ways since 1800s. We are far advanced than any nationality in naija take it or laeve it.
ReplyDeleteMumu
ReplyDelete