Nigerian rapper Illbliss has urged citizens to embrace ethnic diversity and reject divisive tribal rhetoric, using the significant economic contributions of Igbo residents in Lagos as a powerful example.
Speaking on a recent episode of the Outside The Box podcast, the veteran artist condemned inflammatory comments suggesting non-indigenes should “return to their states of origin.”
He questioned how Lagos would function without the Igbo community’s impact in trade and commerce.
“The Igbos have given a lot to the Lagos economy in terms of trade and commerce. I wonder how this town will be if you told every Igbo man to leave,” Illbliss stated.
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The rapper, whose real name is Tobechukwu Ejiofor, lamented Nigeria’s persistent struggle with tribalism, ethnicity, and religious divisions despite decades of coexistence.
“We have no business not being accommodating of each other. But sadly, we are still plagued by tribalism, ethnic and religious divides,” he added. He even pondered whether the country should have been formed as a single nation given these ongoing challenges.
Illbliss’s remarks come amid recurring debates over indigene-settler tensions, particularly in Lagos, a cosmopolitan hub where migrants from across Nigeria drive much of the commercial activity.
