A Lagos-based lawyer and industrialist, Mr Chukwudi Atueyi, who was among those that participated in the meeting that later went viral on social media between Igbo leaders and Oba of Lagos state, Rilwan Akiolu has explained what really happened in the meeting.
According to Chukwudi, the Oba was only joking when he made the statement that many Igbos living in Lagos now considered to be threat.After the Oba's statement went viral fingers has been pointing to the monarch for openly supporting the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in the upcoming governorship elections.
According to Chukwudi, none of the persons present at the meeting took offense when the Oba made the statement as it was not directed at the whole Igbos in Lagos but to his Igbo friends that visited him.
Read his statement below after the cut
The Eze Ndi Igbo honorary in Lagos went to pay HRM solidarity visit on Sunday and I was fortunate to be among those present at the said meeting. What the Oba said was fully and simply directed to only the Igbos present at the meeting who his majesty considers to be very close to him and should understand him well enough.
“You know when one talks to his very close friends and subjects, he tends to be very free with them, so he was being very free with those present at the meeting and wanted us to realize how serious and close he takes us and our votes, because he cannot imagine us giving him our words only to turn back and do the very opposite.
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“He
did not force us to the meeting, we were the ones that went to him on
solidarity visit, so it would be very evil of us to only go and deceive
him there. He only jokingly (at least as it appeared to me then) warned
the people present at the meeting who he considers his own people.
“He was only addressing the Igbos with him present there whom he considers his own people and he simply observed his culture which we all quite understood and this explains why there was applause and laughter at the end of his speech. We were expected to, thereafter, talk to our people in civilized manner to convince them and canvass for their votes if we truly believe we are capable of doing so.
READ ALSO: Lagos Monarch Releases Statement On His Alleged Igbo Threats
“He was only addressing the Igbos with him present there whom he considers his own people and he simply observed his culture which we all quite understood and this explains why there was applause and laughter at the end of his speech. We were expected to, thereafter, talk to our people in civilized manner to convince them and canvass for their votes if we truly believe we are capable of doing so.
READ ALSO: Lagos Monarch Releases Statement On His Alleged Igbo Threats
“So I suspect serious politics at play here. I wouldn’t know
who recorded the speech and decided to play politics with it. It is most
unfair to his majesty to be portrayed in this manner and I think I owe
it as a duty to speak up before things get out of hand.’’
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