Big Brother Naija Season 7 winner, Ijeoma Josephina Otabor, popularly known as Phyna, has stirred controversy after accusing Yoruba boys of being behind rampant street begging in Lagos traffic.
In a post on her social media page, Phyna lamented that once her vehicle stopped in traffic, “beggar boys, Yoruba boys to be precise” immediately surrounded her car, persistently asking for money.
Her statement has since drawn sharp criticism, with many Nigerians condemning her for profiling an entire ethnic group, while others supported her call for the Lagos State Government to do more in tackling the menace of street begging.
Street hawking and begging remain widespread across Lagos despite previous clampdowns by state authorities. Analysts argue that beyond enforcement, addressing poverty and unemployment is key to solving the problem.
