By Ademola Adekusibe
September 16, 2025
A self-styled “King of Igbos” in Ajao Estate, Lagos, has ignited a storm of reactions after boasting that the commercial heartbeat of Nigeria depends on the presence of Igbos, claiming that the city becomes “empty” whenever they travel back to the East during the December festivities.
In a viral statement making the rounds on social media, the monarch said: “I am the King of Igbos in Lagos. When Igbos go back to their village during December, Lagos is always empty until they return.”
The declaration has triggered outrage, with many describing it as another deliberate attempt to gaslight and provoke the Yoruba host community. Critics argue that the remark reflects a pattern where some Igbo leaders in Lagos downplay the role of the indigenous people while elevating their own importance.
Analysts note that this is not the first time Igbo figures have made controversial comments about Lagos, often positioning themselves as victims while simultaneously laying claims that diminish the cultural and political roots of the Yoruba people.
“This statement is nothing but a calculated insult,” one Lagos resident fumed online. “How can anyone say Lagos is empty without them? Are they saying Yorubas, who built this land, do not count?”
The remark is already fueling heated debates about respect, integration, and cultural preservation in Lagos, a city many Yoruba stakeholders insist must never have its heritage trivialized or undermined.
As calls mount for leaders at every level to address such provocative comments, the incident has once again exposed the deep fault lines in Nigeria’s fragile ethnic relations.
