He said he could not have said such when both Yoruba and Igbo have inter-married for years, even with one of his daughters married to a Yoruba man.
The Chairman of Elders’ Forum of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu has again clarified that he never called Yorubas rascals.
His clarification was made on Monday as he revealed that his daughter is married to a Yoruba man.
He said he could not have said such when both Yoruba and Igbo have inter-married for years, even with one of his daughters married to a Yoruba man.
Iwuanyanwu made the clarification in a statement on Monday after his comment at Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s one-year-in-office event in Awka, Anambra State, on Saturday, generated controversy.
He said he could not have ridiculed the Yoruba people with his daughter married to a Yoruba man because he won’t want his grandchildren to be discriminated against on the basis of their mother being an Igbo woman.
“On a personal basis, one of my best daughters is married to a prominent Yoruba family in Ibadan, Oyo State. My son in Law and his wife have lived together for over 20 years. This Union has produced four adorable children. I am very proud of my son-in-law. The children of this marriage are Yorubas and not Igbos by our culture and tradition.
“I will not be happy if at any time any group of people discriminates against them in Yoruba land because their mother is Igbo. Over the years, many Yoruba and Igbo families have intermarried. It is therefore very important to all men of goodwill to arrest the present situation which if not arrested may cause social unrest,” the statement read in part.