The Federal House of Representatives Member representing Oshodi-Isolo II, Lagos State, Okey-Joe Onuakalusi, has come under intense criticism after publishing the list of people in his constituency who have benefitted from his empowerment scheme.
Onuakalusi, a non-native and non-Yoruba,
who got elected on the platform of Labour Party in 2023, is accused of
empowering people of his Igbo ethnicity, while sidelining the Yoruba indigenes.
According to the allegation, his
programmes sponsored 20 participants to China to study cyber Security , food
processing, and artificial intelligence, among others. Another programme sent
nine participants to South Africa to study nursing and diabetic care. It is
alleged that, of the 29 participants, 24 are Igbos while the Yoruba
participants are five.
Social media users have also questioned
the authenticity of the Yoruba names, highlighting that some appeared to be
poorly constructed or fabricated with AI. They specifically pointed to the
inclusion of "Samuel Ajayi Crowther"—the name of the 19th-century
missionary—as evidence that the list was not legitimate, alleging it was
generated by AI.
The lopsidedness in the empowerment
scheme has generated outrage from social media users, who lamented that Yoruba
youths are being sidelined in their own state by a non-native in political
power.
Reacting, the Senior Special Assistant
to the Governor of Lagos State, Wale Ajetunmobi, rubbished the empowerment
scheme, with a post on X, saying, “This is utterly abominable. Marginalisation
is not an accurate word to describe this; it’s outright ostracism. Haaa… a ti
gba àbọ̀dè fun’ra wa.”
Sanwo-Olu’s aide also slammed a comment
justifying the scheme, which claimed that the non-Yoruba majority favoured in
the scheme deserved it because they are also Nigerians.
Ajetunmobi said, “So, the lopsided
empowerment is fair game to you? You sick people are usually loud in
criticising Tinubu for appointing Yoruba people to Federal positions but
conveniently forget that the president has been appointing Nigerians. Now, a non-native
Reps used resources meant for a Yoruba constituency to substantially empower
his own kinsmen. Then, the beneficiaries suddenly became ‘Nigerians’. You silly
idiots shift narrative conveniently just to look good before those
marginalising your kinsmen in your land. O tin shiere.”
Say no to tribalism – Rep Onuakalusi
Also reacting, popular blogger, Japhet
Omojuwa, described lawmaker Onuakalusi’s action as discrimination and a slap on
his constituents.
@Omojuwa said, “This is a self-indicting
post and a big slap on your constituency. That you didn’t even have enough
self-awareness, to post this makes me wonder what other forms of latent and
blatant discrimination are going on against the people you were voted to represent.”
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