HUMAN RIGHTS LAWYER CONDEMNS PASTOR AYODELE’S “RECKLESS” COMMENTS AGAINST THE IGBO PEOPLE

Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Henry Owen

Human rights advocate and constitutional lawyer, Chief Malcolm Emokiniovo Omirhobo, has issued a strong rebuttal to statements credited to Pastor Ayodele, describing them as inflammatory, divisive, and fundamentally unconstitutional. The pastor was quoted as saying “The Igbos are the problem of Nigeria,” accusing them of being “desperate for power,” and claiming that “a curse” allegedly prevents them from producing a President unless it is “reversed.”

Chief Omirhobo said such remarks are “reckless, hateful, and constitutionally ignorant,” especially coming from a religious figure who should be promoting unity rather than fueling division. According to him, Nigeria operates strictly under the rule of law, not spiritual proclamations, insisting that “Nigeria is a constitutional democracy, not a spiritual monarchy guided by the personal prophecies of any individual.”

He referenced the 1999 Constitution, noting that Section 17 “guarantees the equality of all citizens,” Section 42 “forbids discrimination on the basis of ethnicity,” and Section 14(2)(a) “affirms that sovereignty belongs to the people of Nigeria, not to prophets, pastors, or spiritual gatekeepers.” He stressed that political leadership is determined by the will of the electorate and constitutional requirements, “not by curses, ethnic profiling, or prophetic politics.”

Omirhobo condemned the pastor’s comments as hate speech, warning that describing an entire ethnic group as a national “problem” is dangerous and unacceptable. He added that suggesting Igbos are “cursed” is “irresponsible and dangerous,” and that questioning their capacity to lead the country is “a direct assault on our national unity.”

He warned that Nigeria’s ethnic relations are already fragile, and inflammatory statements only worsen tensions. He criticised Pastor Ayodele’s remarks as “unbiblical, unconstitutional, incendiary, and morally reprehensible,” calling on him to issue an unreserved public apology. He also reminded religious leaders that their influence must never be used for “political manipulation, ethnic stigmatisation, or psychological intimidation.”

Reaffirming the equality of all ethnic groups, he declared that “Nigeria belongs to all of us… No one is cursed. No group is superior.” He added that no religious figure has the power to alter the nation’s constitutional order, emphasising that “No prophet has the authority to rewrite the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

Chief Omirhobo urged Nigerians to reject divisive rhetoric in all forms, saying, “We must resist, condemn, and reject divisive utterances from any quarter.” He concluded that the nation’s future depends on “justice, inclusiveness, and respect for the dignity of every citizen nothing less.”

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