An Arise TV presenter and former presidential aide, Ruben Abati, has sparked mixed reactions after claiming Igbos in Nigeria’s southeast region don’t sell land to outsiders.
Abati, a co-host of Arise Television’s ‘The Morning Show’ on Thursday, shared the story of how Theophilus Benson, minister of information in the first post-independence government, narrated how Igbos do not sell lands to non-indigenes.
“Chief TOS Benson, former minister of information, now late, on one occasion at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs—and I’m not making this up—he said it publicly; if anybody can contradict me, let them do so… he said something about Igbo people,” Abati began.
@Nedumcity_ on X said, “Today during the Arise TV morning show, we all saw how Ruben Abati showcased his Igbophobia. He left the topic of discussion to digress to Igbos not selling land to non-Igbo people. Just like a reminder that Ruben Abati was one of the people who fueled the Lagos Igbo hate and the Chinedu propaganda. He is not just a tribalist but a hater of Ndigbo.”
@emmaikumeh wrote, “To those who know me personally or have been following my digital footprint on issues, I rarely comment about tribe this, tribe that. I don’t like it. But in this case, Reuben Abati goofed. One would ordinarily expect someone or his status and corresponding exposure…”
@MBADIWE_ reacted: “Igbo man likes money too much but will refuse to sell his land when you bring a good price, I am not understanding again abi is there another Igbo? Abati and his brother no like money, but when you flash money, they will sell their papa graveyard.”
@OgaHans wrote, “Just to reiterate. It’s not in the Igbo culture to sell land. Land is not a “store of value” as it were. The land is more of a heritage. This is not so for other ethnicities.”
@DorisFabrics said; “My uncle do say it , when I asked him to sell some of my father’s land, he refused, saying that we don’t sell lands 😒..e still dey vex me shha.”
‘Nobody should tell me nonsense,’ Abati replies to critics, Unmoved by the backlash, Abati doubled down.
“I have no further comments on that subject,” he said on Friday after Ojy Okpe, a colleague, prompted him to clarify his previous remarks.
“I was very clear yesterday; I was very specific; I made my point; I provided a context in which I was speaking. If people have selective hearing, that is their problem.”
Okpe said she was only fulfilling her journalistic obligation of presenting diverse viewpoints. Abati was having none of it, however.
“Replay the tape again! Replay the tape!” Abati retorted.
“I was specific about what I said, I provided context. Nobody should tell me any nonsense. If people have a different opinion, they have anthropological evidence to support it, they should say so. It’s not for me to reverse myself.”
Turning to Okpe one more time, he said: “Except you are expressing your own opinion, and then I will come after you and say you are wrong.
“It’s not for you to come and challenge me. If you try that, we will fight.”
Judith Iyoh writes fashion, lifestyle and real estate investment.
