Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), is facing accusations of bias following her silence on a controversial audio clip circulating among Nigerians, particularly from the South-West region.
The clip features a man and woman of Yoruba descent calling for a united front against the Igbo community, alleging that they are responsible for tarnishing Nigeria’s reputation with fraud and other negative activities.
In the viral audio, the Yoruba speakers claim that Igbo people are responsible for the bad press Nigeria is receiving and urge South Africans and other Africans to unite against them. These claims have sparked outrage among some Nigerian listeners. An Edo man, who based in Germany identifying himself as a Benin native, vehemently rejected these accusations, asserting that the Igbo people are good and questioning why fellow Nigerians would publicly denounce each other in such a manner.
The audio clip also includes a Yoruba woman making similar negative claims about the Igbo, calling for African solidarity against them. A response came from a man from Cross River, who defended the Igbo community, stating, “I am from the Ikom tribe, and Igbo people are good people.” The Yoruba woman dismissed his comments, claiming she had never heard of any tribe called Ikom in Nigeria.
This controversy follows recent concerns about a Nigerian-Canadian woman, Amaka Patience Sunnberger, who was heard in another viral clip threatening violence against Nigerians, specifically targeting those of Yoruba descent. Dabiri-Erewa’s prompt action to address Sunnberger’s threats has drawn attention, making her silence on the audio clip even more conspicuous.
The situation highlights growing tensions and divisions within the Nigerian diaspora and raises questions about the role of NIDCOM in addressing intra-community conflicts.
