BOKKU ETHNIC PROFILING : Igbodum President, Prince Celestine Emechebe, Urge FGN To Prosecute Influencer Defolah ,Bokku Supermarket , Others, Over Hate Speech , Cybercrime ,Ethnic Violence

By Emmanuel Edom

The last is yet to be heard on the recent controversial ethnic prejudice expressed in a Bokku supermarket Advertisement,which said , ” before any Omo Igbo cheats Me”, featured by a self styled Influencer ,known as Defolah, which sparked wide spread outrage .

The retail chain, BOKKU Super Mart, has come under serious barrages of criticisms and condemnations, especially in the social media, since it aired the controversial advertisement.

The latest to join the fray, is an Igbo Socio-Cultural Group, ‘Igbodum Multicultural Association World Wide’, who has in their reaction, vowed to take all necessary and legal actions against Bokku Supermarket, to redeem the integrity of Igbo traders, business men and their Race,which they said, has been brought to ridicule by the obnoxious Advertisement.

While condemning in a very strong term, what they described as ethnic slur and profiling , Igbodum Association, enjoined all Igbos to boycott and cease patronizing Bokku supermarket .

Championing Crusade for the boycott of Bokku SuperMart ,the President of Igbodum Association, Prince Celestine Chuks Emechebe, called on Security Agencies, such as the Nigeria Police Force, NPF and the Directorate of State Service , DSS, to fish out and prosecute the influencer Defolah, her Sponsors, other Ethnic bigots , and prosecute them for hate speech ,Cybercrime, ethnic profiling and violence.

He wondered why the Police and other Security Agencies are keeping blind eyes on hate speeches , ethnic profiling and violence against the Igbo race .

He reiterated his earlier call that Igbos should desert Bokku Retail Outlets ,to ensure their personal safety and security, especially “as it’s getting clearer that Bokku Mart is an Ethnic Superstore”, Emechebe Stated.

Visibly aggrieved over what he said was a calculated insult on the Igbo Tribe, Prince Emechebe ,recalled past Igbo Race targeted incidents ,where Ndigbo were denigrated and referred to in derogatory manners.

He Said, “Recently the Edo State Governor, banned Mr. Peter Obi, from entering the state , In Adamawa State, an Igbo Man identified as Mr. Umeh , who bought a plot of land ,was not allowed to live in the same estate with a Police Chief . Again , one tout threatened to wipe out Igbos if they don’t vote his choice candidate in 2027and now is Bokku”.

In a statement released to News Planet International, Prince Emechebe expressed deep disappointment at Bokku Management silence , which he said is a sign of approval of the slur.

He also expressed concern that Bokku Management were persistent in their silence, despite the widespread outrage and potential consequences of promoting ethnic profiling and hate speech , particularly given that the Igbo community constitutes a significant customer base for Bokku Supermarket across its various outlets.

The Igbo Leader who noted that the advertisement was the height of bigotry, irresponsibility and extreme foolishness, warned while quoting the Sultan of Sokoto, that “no one has monopoly to violence”.

He used the opportunity to plead with President Ahmed Bola Tinubu , to salvage Nigeria by ensuring equity, fair play and Justice for all , through granting unconditional pardon to the detained Leader of the Indigenous People Of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

Speaking on the fear of political leaning, Dr. Emechebe stated that the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu,cannot determine Igbos political leaning , as Party affiliations is individual rights.

He reminded President Tinubu of his earlier posture during NADECO era, as an advocate and crusader of free Speech, Civil Disobedience , rule of law, democracy and freedom.

Rhetorically Emechebe asked, ” If we are truly One Nigeria, why is Nnamdi Kanu still being held in detention, even when there are some people that has committed worst crimes than him.

Finally, he Challenge Federal Government to apprehend all vendors and perpetrators of hate speech, ethnic profiling and violence, as well as to release Nnamdi Kanu unconditionally.