Rev. Fr. Evaristus Bassey, Director, Church and Society of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria and Executive Secretary/CEO, of Caritas, Nigeria/JDPC
From Diana Okon-Effiong, Calabar
The national offices of Caritas Nigeria and Justice Development and Peace Commission (JDPC), a Catholic based organisation, has expressed total shock at the recent comments by the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu, against Ndigbo (Igbo ethnic nationality in Nigeria) should they fail to vote for the All Progressive Congress (APC) candidate in the governorship election in Lagos State.
Oba Akiolu was reported in some national dailies to have said that the Igbos living in Lagos to vote for the governorship candidate of APC, Mr. Akinwumi Ambode, or else they will die in the lagoon.
Reacting to this curse, Executive Secretary, Caritas Nigeria and JDPC Rev. Fr. Evaristus Bassey in a press statement made available to Journalists in Calabar yesterday said, “we humbly call on the Oba himself to withdraw his curse and rather appeal to the people, for indeed such a threat may amount to playing God and God who is a merciful father will not allow his children to die so senselessly just because they were fulfilling the dictates of their conscience”.
The Catholic group said “the fact that APC is government at the centre is a strong factor to employ and appeal to people to vote APC rather than invoking ancestral powers for destruction. Why is it that in Africa we usually invoke our powers for destruction and not for building-up?”
They argued that “while it is understandable that a royal father would want for his wishes to be carried out, we are deeply concerned that the royal father is missing the point that Nigeria is a republic and a democracy and not a monarchy.
“We understand the genuine fear of the great Oba of losing Lagos to strangers. But Lagos has been one of the most cosmopolitan cities in Africa for decades and any citizens can be a bona fide resident of Lagos contributing to its economy and politics, as such the upstages as happened in the last elections are to be expected. Nevertheless natives and non-native residents should feel free to negotiate and clarify expectations but not in the threatening and intimidating manner the revered Oba has lashed out”.
They stated: “ Why single out a particular ethnic group for this curse? Does it mean a Yoruba or Hausa person living in Lagos who votes for Jimi Agbaje will go scot-free but any Igbo who votes for Agbaje will drown in the Lagoon?
“Does it mean that people should vote out of fear and not their consciences? Would such an election be free and fair, where people have to vote out of intimidation? Does not the threat of the Oba Akiolu amount to voter intimidation?”
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