Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has firmly opposed recent calls by certain groups urging the Igbo people to leave Lagos State.
In a statement released on Friday by his Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Akinyemi, Obasanjo expressed his views while meeting with the leadership of the Ndigbo Amaka Progressive Market Association, an umbrella body representing major markets in Lagos State. The meeting took place at the boardroom of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
The former President made it clear that he believes no one in Nigeria should be forced to leave any part of the country, stating, “We own this country together.” He further emphasized, “Having ensured that the Yorubas, Igbos, and Hausas all came together to fight the war of unity in Nigeria and not to fight Igbos to go, but to come. So, if anybody says to me that somebody should leave any place, he will be the one to leave.”
Obasanjo’s comments come in response to recent posts on social media, specifically from a handle on X (formerly Twitter) named ‘LagosPedia,’ which demanded the forced relocation of Igbo people from Lagos and other South West states within one month. The hashtag #Igbomustgo also called on all Yorubas living in the South East to return to the South West.
“Lagosians and every South-West stakeholder should prepare for the massive protest of #IgboMustGo on the 20th – 30th of August. They have one month from now to leave and relocate their businesses from all South-West states. We urge all Yorubas living in the South-East to return home,” the handle tweeted.
The statement also mentioned that Obasanjo, for the first time, addressed rumors regarding his Igbo paternity, humorously dismissing them as baseless claims that make him laugh. Allegations have circulated that Obasanjo’s father hailed from Anambra State.
