Ibo elder and frontline businessman and media mogul, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu on Monday debunked reports that he said the Yoruba are political rascals, describing it as fake news, Sunrise reports.
Iwuanyanwu is ostensibly denying a video where he, speaking at the first year anniversary of the Anambra State Governor Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, in Awka, called Yoruba people political rascals, and vowing that his people will deal with them.
He claimed the video was doctored.
Ever since the video hit the social media on Saturday, it has elicited wild condemnation and accusations from Nigerians, especially the Yoruba.
But the Igbo elder, in a statement on Monday said his attention has been drawn to the fake news circulating on social media which he claimed completely misrepresented the statement he made in Awka, Anambra State, in connection to the killings, destructions of properties, and harassment of Ibo people in Lagos during the recent elections.
“My statement was covered live by Arise Television, Channels, and many other electronic and print media houses. All Nigerians of goodwill who care should get the true transcript of my statement from any of these media houses,” he said.
But the undoctored video on Channels shows that Iwuanyanwu made the statement that Yoruba people are political rascals.
He added in his statement, “I want to make it abundantly clear that at no time did I make the statement credited to me by blackmailers, circulating on social media, that the Yoruba are political rascals as this was fraudulently manipulated.
“The seven Igbo-speaking states namely — Rivers, Delta, Imo, Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, and Enugu states — have honoured me with the traditional title of Ahaejiagamba Ndigbo.”
According to him, most of his close friends who had influenced his business and professional life were from the northern and western parts of Nigeria.
Iwuanyanwu said he is the Balogun Babagunwa of Ibadan land and that he had also been honoured with Chieftaincy titles by numerous Yoruba Obas.
“I am no doubt an honorary citizen of Yoruba land. I have many personal friends and staff of my various companies including directors who are Yorubas.
“Most of them played major roles in shaping my economic destiny. I, therefore, do not have any reason whatsoever to insult the Yoruba tribe whom I regard with great respect,” he said.
Iwuanyanwu said he did mention that those who carried out the attack on Ibos in Lagos were political rascals, whose action did not reflect the good relationship between the Igbo and Yoruba.