“Are you not tired of using tribalism and Igbophobia as excuses? All of us are suffering from fake products” — Nigerian food critic Opeyemi Famakin addresses Igbo people

Nigerian food critic Opeyemi Famakin has criticised some Igbo social media users for allegedly dismissing concerns about counterfeit products as tribalism and Igbophobia.

In a video shared online, Famakin claimed that Kano is Nigeria's second-largest hub for counterfeit products, while alleging that Igbo traders dominate the trade.

“Are you guys not tired of using tribalism and Igbophobia? All of us are dying. All of us are dying from this fake,” he said.

He argued that fake drinks, alcohol and other consumables pose health risks to Nigerians regardless of their ethnicity, including Igbo people.

Famakin maintained that his criticism was directed at those producing counterfeit goods, not the entire Igbo community, whom he described as some of the nicest people he has encountered offline.

He also defended NAFDAC's efforts to combat counterfeit products, saying the agency was working but could do better.

He urged Nigerians to focus on tackling the problem rather than turning the discussion into an ethnic argument