-Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, a former First Lady of Ondo State, has sparked another controversy with her recent statements, referring to the Yoruba people as “Ngbati”.
This term has been perceived as derogatory by many, leading to widespread criticism by the Yoruba community.
Anyanwu-Akeredolu’s who was reacting to Chukwudi Iwuchukwu’s post on Facebook had once made a controversial statement referring to the Yoruba people as “Nde Ofenmanu” which literally mean people of palm oil soup.
She claimed her statement were made in response to backlash she received for her observations on the Nigerian and US presidential elections.
Betty in her recent post on X shared what she described as “a little bit of my love story though now shattered by death” stating that her late husband, Rotimi Akeredolu, came for his youth service at Enugu with a dagger.
She wrote, “AKETI came to Enugu for Youth Service with a DAGGER but returned to Ibadan with a WIFE!” She claimed.
“Let me share a little bit of my love story though now shattered by death. Aketi came for his youth service at Enugu with a dagger. A dagger o! Why? His people told him that Igbos were hostile. A dagger would be handy for protection, his parents advised. LOL! Fast forward, Aketi returned from youth service with a wife.
“I made fun of him at any given opportunity. It might sound funny but not really funny if you look at the magnitude of falsehood entrenched in Yorubas against Ndigbo as a people. Rueben lied. A BIG FAT LIE. He should not use Chief Benson who died centuries ago as cover up. Na who we go ask? If Aketi wanted to buy the whole of my village, Emeabiam, my people would sell and add jara sef. This gaslighting is becoming too much in recent times. Enough is enough!!!”
However, many Yoruba people have taken offense to her choice of words, with some accusing her of tribalism and hypocrisy. Anyanwu-Akeredolu’s late husband, Rotimi Akeredolu, was a Yoruba man, and her comments have been seen as a betrayal of his heritage.
Some critics said this is not the first time Anayanwu-Akeredolu has courted controversy with her statements, saying as a prominent figure in Nigerian politics, her words carry significant weight, and many are calling for her to apologize for her hurtful remarks.
