Oba of Lagos Denies Lagoon Statement, Says It’s Igbo Leaders That Wants Their People Back

The Oba of Lagos state, Oba Akiolu has cleared the air on an alleged lagoon statement credited to him, insisting that he was misquoted and never meant it the way people interpreted it. According to him, Lagosians are very accommodating, but non-indigenes must respect the culture and tradition of their host. He also dropped a bombshell saying, it is even prominent Igbo leaders who have been writing him about their displeasure of so many of their sons in Lagos. Below is an exclusive chat he had with Punch.

While responding to a question on the threat he issued out to Igbo residents in Lagos State if they did not vote for Akinwunmi Ambode of the All Progressives Congress, Akiolu maintained that he had no ill feeling towards Igbo in the state as some of his closest friends were Igbo.

He said, “Eze Odimegwu, who is a former CEO of Nigerian Breweries, is still my best friend as well as many others. The Obi of Onitsha came to visit me here a few days ago. When you go to a place, you have to respect the host leaders, particularly the traditional leaders there because you are coming to benefit from their success.

“The people of Lagos are the friendliest and most accommodating people in Nigeria.”

He said the video which showed him issuing threats to Igbo leaders was a misrepresentation of what truly transpired.

He said the issue was twisted by those who wanted to gain political advantage ahead of the governorship election but God put them to shame.

“Those who orchestrated the entire incident know themselves and I tell you, those (Igbo leaders) who came here on that day understand me a lot and have even been coming since then,” - he said.

Akiolu said many of the non-indigenes were deceived by politicians in their quest for power.

He said, “The man that promised to hand them deputy governorship slot and four commissioner positions and would elevate the status of Eze Ndigbo to that of Oba of Lagos has since denied it.

“It was all a political gimmick because I am sure they know that he was only deceiving them. As a matter of fact, prominent traditional rulers in the South-East have been writing us to say that they are not happy about the large number of ezes in Lagos,” - he said.