by Toluwanimi Onakoya

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The word “Igbos” trended on Twitter today but for a variety of reasons. The microblogging site was flooded with discussions on various topics concerning the South Eastern tribe.

A viral thread kicked off the buzz when a detailed account of a wife’s marriage experience was presented to the public. The thread told the story of how her husband had been instructed by his inlaws to pay N520,000 worth of goods for the traditional wedding alone. The man, who earns a meagre 70 thousand naira per month managed to put this money together and the marriage progressed.

TL judge :

I got married 8months ago, my hubby earns 70k monthly while I am yet to get a job, during our wedding ceremony, hubby spent about 580k on the list given to him for the trad wedding, I persuaded my parents to reduce the list but they said it is a must and a tradition

— . (@SmartAtuadi) June 14, 2020

As time passed, the husband refused to send any monthly allowance to the in-laws, claiming he owes them nothing; despite his wife’s pleas. To make matters worse when the wife’s younger brother was to get married the dowry was amounting to N400,000 and the inlaws expected the man in question to contribute over N100,000 to the expenses and he refused. The wife was upset and labelled him irresponsible. The woman posed a question asking if it was right or not for the man to do this.

Igbos? So a man used 580k to pay your bride price alone?, are you the 1st daughter of the most high God??#dontleavemechallange https://t.co/g0Z1Ij4NPS

— Nedd Michael™ (@NeddMichaels) June 15, 2020

 

Many Twitter users were quick to take sides with the husband and call out Igbos as the only tribe that could propose such a ridiculous dowry, even though no tribe was mentioned in the thread. Nigerians cried out that the practice of demanding expensive dowries was unfortunate and terrible.

Your parents no get shame at all, what kind of fuckery is this ????

This is definitely from an Igbo family. If I marry any Igbo woman make I Bend.

— Biyi The Plug ? (@BiyiThePlug) June 15, 2020

 

Some who claimed to be Igbos as well were loud in condemning this practice, calling it “broad daylight robbery.”

580k for a list?
That's daylight robbery
Coupled with the expenses the traditional marriage and wedding will bring and the man's salary. That's very inconsiderate.

Then after that you want me to contribute for what?

Let's not atlact curses to ourselves

— Mr Aristócrata™ (@ChuksNoble4) June 15, 2020

Because I'm Igbo, I should close my mouth on what our people do vis-a-vis marriage list right? Don't worry a day will come I will post Mbaise list for you people to see.

Let's call a spade a spade for God sakes.

— the Morris Monye factor (@Morris_Monye) June 15, 2020

 

With much discussion still brewing on the “520k” matter, another viral item made way to the internet. This, on the other hand, was a viral video of a Yoruba traders ranting and wailing that Igbo traders were taking their jobs and their lands. He continued, urging the Lagos Government, former Governor of the state, Bola Tinubu, and former President Olusegun Obasanjo to “save them” from the hands of Igbo people taking over and pushing them out of their lands in Lagos.

— Yoruba traders in Ladipo market, begs Tinubu and Obasanjo to "save them" from the hands of igbo people buying all their lands" in Lagos.

{?: : Flipside TV} pic.twitter.com/Ic2cJkq6zg

— – Viral Trendz (@TheViralTrendz) June 15, 2020

 

Many Nigerians chipped into the conversation and spoke of their experiences with Igbo people, specifically traders. They spoke of their ingenuity and eagerness to sell such that if they do not have a particular good at hand, they are quick to rush over to the shop of their kinsmen to ask if he/she has it. Many called out this as a significant disparity amongst  Yoruba and Igbo traders and decided it was why the Igbo traders were flourishing so well.

I prefer buying things from Igbo, if they don't have what you want they will call someone that have. If any Yoruba man doesn't have what you want, he will tell you he doesn't know where you can get it because he doesn't want want anybody to be bigger than him. Igbo buy Lagos plz

— Tifi (@officialTifiola) June 15, 2020

 

Others pointed their fingers at the Yorubas, stressing that they were not forced to sell their lands; claiming that they must squandered the money made from such sales and are now complaining of being usurped.

Did Ndi Igbo put a gun on Yoruba landowners to sell lands? Eje ki ari eti gboron.

You usually sell to the highest bidder, stop complaining. https://t.co/kxz066Cpwy

— Káyọ̀dé Ògúndámisí (@ogundamisi) June 15, 2020

Every tribe in Nigeria blames Igbos fo their problems.

Including those who sell their land to the Igbos and use the money to do ọwambe.

When the money finishes, they start a demonstration and start asking their political leeadrds to help them collect the lands back. https://t.co/ciVeZomzsq

— Ikenna Ronald Nzimora (@ronaldnzimora) June 15, 2020

 

Some Nigerians concluded that this kind of speech is xenophobic in nature and accused Nigerians of being hypocrites. They declared that Nigerians would use a side of their mouth to complain about the violence Nigerians are experiencing in South Africa and racism against Blacks abroad, and would use the other side to talk this kind of tribalistic speech.

We are talking about racism/ discrimination and someone in Lagos is screaming “Igbo people should go back to their land”.

It’s all good.

— Uncle Charles (@AkwariCharles) June 15, 2020

 

However, many took time to praise Igbos for their resilience, stating that despite the tribulations they faced, they were still able to bounce back. Some spoke of the heroic actions of Igbos during the times of the civil war. Many reminded others that it was no mistake the Igbos were currently flourishing economically because the war had stripped them of their wealth and properties.

In fact, they say, it is a thing of pride to see many threatened by the Igbos’ success; stating it is a testament to how far they’ve come.

We were given 20 pounds irrespective of whatever we had in the bank before the war & most of our properties confiscated & we still managed to bounce back. This is enough to make u Proudly onye Igbo. No ethnic group in Nigeria will experience what we passed through & bounce back.

— Unu Amaro Kam Sịrị Kwado (@AfamDeluxo) June 15, 2020

The beautiful Nigerian people from the Igbo or Ibo tribe who refused to be slaves, so they committed a mass suicide by jumping into the ocean ? "Because they knew death was better than bondage" Igbo Landing ✊?✊?✊? They definitely wasn't lost at sea, they freed themselves at sea pic.twitter.com/2hg4wzw4yv

— Shafona Shantell (@ShafonaShantell) June 14, 2020