Bishop Prof. Emeka Nwankpa Writes President Tinubu, Demands Sanction Against Abike Dabiri-Erewa Over Ethnic Hate Speech

In what has become a growing national concern, Bishop Professor Emeka Nwankpa, the National Convener of South East Mandate for Good Governance, has penned a strongly-worded letter to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, calling for immediate and appropriate sanctions against the Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, over her alleged endorsement of ethnic hate speech against the Igbo ethnic group.

The respected cleric and social reform advocate expressed deep disappointment over a widely circulated social media post recently amplified by Mrs. Dabiri-Erewa. The post, originally authored by another user, contained hateful and derogatory language targeted at the Igbo people, referring to them in dehumanizing terms. Rather than condemning the content, the NiDCOM boss re-shared the post on her official X (formerly Twitter) account, accompanied by laughing memes, giving the impression of approval or amusement.

In his letter to the President, Bishop Nwankpa described the action as “highly irresponsible” and unbecoming of a government official tasked with representing the interests of Nigerians abroad. He warned that such ethnic profiling and hate-driven commentary, especially when echoed by persons in positions of power, could dangerously erode the fragile unity of the nation.

The letter reads thus:

17th September, 2025

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu
President, Federal Republic of Nigeria
Aso Rock Presidential Villa
Abuja, Nigeria

Your Excellency,

Request for Sanction of Abike Dabiri-Erewa Over Ethnic Incitement and Hate Speech Against the Igbo People

I bring you warm greetings in the name of our Lord and in the spirit of national unity and peace.

As a clergyman committed to the moral, spiritual, and social stability of our great nation, I write with deep concern over the recent incident involving the Chairperson of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa.

It has come to public attention, widely documented and corroborated, that Hon. Dabiri-Erewa reposted a deeply offensive social media message that referred to Nigerians of Igbo extraction using derogatory and dehumanizing terms such as ‘monkeys’ and ‘children of gorillas’. Instead of denouncing such vile and tribalistic language, she further amplified it by appending memes of laughter, thereby giving the impression of approval and endorsement.

Your Excellency, at a time when our nation requires healing, inclusivity, and true reconciliation, such conduct from a high-ranking public official is not only unacceptable, but dangerous. It fuels ethnic animosity, undermines the spirit of the Nigerian constitution, and damages our collective effort toward unity and peaceful coexistence.

Public officers should be held to the highest standards of conduct. Their words, both spoken and written, carry influence and consequences. The silence or inaction of government on such matters can be misconstrued as complicity or indifference.

I respectfully call upon your good office to:

1. Investigate the conduct of Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa as it pertains to this incident.
2. Issue appropriate sanctions in line with her position and the ethical expectations of her office.
3. Reaffirm your administration’s commitment to national unity by unequivocally condemning all forms of hate speech and ethnic profiling, irrespective of the source. Let us send a strong and clear message that under your leadership, no Nigerian, regardless of tribe, tongue, or creed, will be treated as less than equal. May God continue to grant you wisdom and strength as you lead this nation. Yours sincerely, Bishop Prof Emeka Nwankpa
   National Convener