Ohanaeze Ndigbo Condemns Viral Video Threatening Yoruba and Edo Communities

The apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has strongly condemned a viral video in which a woman threatens to poison Yoruba and Edo people. In the TikTok video, identified by the handle @Anyi_anambra, the woman urges Igbos to lace the food of Yoruba and Edo individuals with poison, stating: “Let Ndigbo get heart of wickedness and to start poisoning Yoruba and Edo. To put ota pia-paia, eat and die sniper, I will put it in Yoruba and Benin food for them to die.”

Ohanaeze Ndigbo’s Secretary-General, Okey Emuchay, reassured the Yoruba socio-cultural organization, Afenifere, that the individual behind the video is merely a provocateur seeking to create ethnic discord. Emuchay emphasized that the video should be disregarded as the ravings of an individual who is intent on sowing seeds of mistrust and conflict where there is none.

In a statement issued by Ohanaeze’s National Publicity Secretary, Alex Ogbonnia, Emuchay urged security agencies to take action against the woman featured in the video. The statement reads: “Ohanaeze would have dismissed the social media video as the work of a deranged individual or a fabricated narrative designed to mislead the public. However, due to concerns raised by various prominent individuals and the request for prompt action from Afenifere’s National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Jare Ajayi, we find it necessary to address this issue.

“There is no substantial evidence that the woman in question is genuinely Igbo. Her behavior does not reflect the Igbo values of thoughtfulness, discretion, and self-restraint. The Igbo people are known for their extensive travel and integration into diverse communities, contributing positively wherever they go. Therefore, any attempt to poison food could potentially harm Igbo individuals as well. The woman appears to be an extremist driven by historical grievances and is orchestrating this vile act with malicious intent.

“Okey Emuchay condemned the video and its creator as purveyors of hate, aiming to create unnecessary ethnic tension. Ohanaeze Ndigbo wishes to remind the younger generations of the deep connections shared between the Igbo, Edo, and Yoruba people, including cultural affinities, shared values, and historical intermarriages that have fostered strong relationships across these communities.

“Despite occasional deviations by a few individuals, historical events such as the Aguiyi Ironsi-Fajuyi episode in Ibadan on July 29, 1966, highlight the enduring bonds and mutual respect among these ethnic groups.

“Finally, Ohanaeze Ndigbo assures Afenifere, and our Yoruba and Edo brothers, that this threat should be disregarded as absurd and irrelevant. We call on security agencies to track down the perpetrators of this inflammatory content and hold them accountable under the law.”