Veteran entertainer and activist, Charley Boy, has sparked national debate after accusing Nigeria of applying what he called “double standards” to Igbo people in determining who qualifies as a patriot.
In a strongly worded commentary shared on Tuesday, Charley Boy argued that Igbo citizens are often expected to downplay their identity, mute their achievements, and avoid sensitive national conversations in order to be accepted as “patriotic Nigerians.”
According to him, an Igbo person risks being labelled “tribalistic” for publicly acknowledging Igbo achievements — whether in engineering feats of the Biafra era, the industrial clusters in Aba and Nnewi, or the global academic and business success of the Igbo diaspora.
He claimed that when an Igbo individual speaks candidly on national issues, especially those involving other major ethnic groups, they are often judged more harshly than others.
Charley Boy contrasted the treatment of Igbo voices with what he described as greater tolerance for similar behaviour among other tribes.
He argued that:
- A Yoruba advocate of Oduduwa Republic, or one who promotes Lagos exceptionalism or celebrates Awolowo, is still widely perceived as a “sophisticated nationalist.”
- A northern cleric who defends controversial positions or speaks in favour of Sharia expansion is still regarded as a stakeholder invited to peace discussions.
He said that in contrast, Igbo citizens must remain “nearly impeccable” to avoid public condemnation, suggesting that only individuals such as former Commonwealth Secretary-General Emeka Anyaoku meet the standard expected of them.
Charley Boy also criticised what he described as linguistic inequality in national spaces.
He noted that Igbo speakers who learn Hausa are praised as models of patriotism, while no similar pressure or expectation is placed on non-Igbo Nigerians to learn Igbo.
“In many national offices, speaking Igbo is treated like vernacular,” he said, “while speaking Hausa or Yoruba is regarded as using a national language.”
He further claimed that Igbo officers conversing in their language within security institutions are frequently viewed with suspicion, while similar behaviour from other ethnic groups is often seen as harmless camaraderie.
The activist said that conversations about these disparities are often discouraged under the guise of promoting national unity.
“This is not playing the victim card,” he insisted, arguing instead that patriotism in Nigeria is often framed in a way that requires Igbo people to “self-flagellate” and consistently praise other ethnic groups to be accepted.
