‘All Of Us Are Dying; What Are You Doing About Your Brothers Producing Fake Products?’ — Opeyemi Famakin Calls Out Igbo Community

Nigerian food critic Opeyemi Famakin has sparked controversy after accusing some members of the Igbo community of being involved in the production and sale of counterfeit products, urging people to prioritise public safety over ethnic sentiments.

In a video circulating online, Famakin claimed that Kano was Nigeria’s second-largest hub for counterfeit products before alleging that the largest hub was associated with Igbo people.

“I hate to be that guy, but we know the tribe that does it,” he said, referring to the alleged production of counterfeit goods.

The food critic warned that fake perfumes, drinks and alcoholic beverages posed serious health risks to Nigerians across ethnic groups.

“All of us are dying from these fake products. The fake perfumes, fake drinks, fake alcohol that they are consuming. It’s not targeted at killing only the Yorubas and Hausas. All of you are dying, you included,” he said.

Famakin also criticised what he described as the use of tribalism to deflect criticism, questioning whether members of the community were tired of allegations of Igbo phobia whenever concerns about wrongdoing were raised.

Despite his criticism, he described Igbo people as the nicest ethnic group he had encountered in his personal experience, while insisting that the alleged activities of counterfeit producers needed to be addressed.

He further made a claim about the prevalence of kidney dialysis among Igbos, linking it to his concerns about the possible health consequences of consuming counterfeit products. However, he did not provide evidence to substantiate the claim.

Famakin also questioned the effectiveness of efforts to tackle counterfeit products, acknowledging the role of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) while arguing that counterfeit producers were undermining its work.