A Yoruba socio-cultural association, Think Yoruba First (TYF), has given a 14-day ultimatum to the authors and publishers of the book, “The Igbo People, History and Worldview,” citing what they described as “cultural defamation and historical distortion.”
Lead consultant for Think Yoruba First, Sanwo Oluwatobi Ibrahim, accused the book, co-authored by Dons Eze and Chinedu Ochinanwata, of making false, libelous and culturally offensive claims about Yoruba origins and the sacred city of Ile-Ife.
“We’ve sent out letters also to government institutions, to international and local institutions as well, to review this book.
“Let us review this. Let us take such work. If it’s fiction, let them classify it as fiction. If it is nonfiction, if it’s a historical work or literary work, let us know what it is,” Ibrahim said, emphasising the need for intellectual honesty.
Ibrahim highlighted several claims in the book that they find particularly offensive, including the assertion that the Igbo were the original inhabitants of Ile-Ife and that the Yoruba are immigrants who usurped control.
They also reject the claim of an “Ado-na-Idu Empire” as a precursor to Ile-Ife history, calling it a “fabrication” unsupported by historical scholarship.
Ibrahim stressed the significance of Ile-Ife to the Yoruba people, stating that, “Ile-Ife is not simply a location on a map. It is the very cradle of Yoruba civilisation. To distort Ile-Ife is to attack the very soul of the Yoruba.”
In response to the publication, the lead consultant said they have submitted petitions to various bodies, including the National Library of Nigeria and the Nigerian Copyright Commission, adding that they are also mobilising Yoruba communities worldwide and have formally notified Yoruba development institutions and traditional councils to take action in cultural defence.
While affirming their respect for all ethnicities, Ibrahim reiterated that they will not fold their arms while others seek to erase, appropriate or falsify our origins. “Yoruba history is sacred. Ile-Ife is non-negotiable. Our identity cannot be distorted.”
