(Melvin Ejiofor. Photo by News Telegraph)
Popular Nigerian rapper Melvin Ejiofor, known as Illbliss, has issued a public apology following a heated social media controversy over comments he made regarding the economic contributions of the Igbo community in Lagos.
The controversy began last week after Illbliss took to social media to praise investments made by the Igbo community in the state, arguing that the group had contributed significantly to Lagos’s commercial growth and real estate sector, and questioning why such contributions were often met with criticism whenever they came from Igbos specifically, while similar contributions from other groups went unchallenged.
The exchange escalated after a user pushed back, arguing that Lagos had also been highly beneficial to his own music career.
In a now-deleted response, Illbliss made a combative remark suggesting that members of his community had significant property ownership in the city and would continue to benefit from rents paid by others, a comment many users found inflammatory.
Following widespread criticism accusing him of promoting tribal division, the rapper deleted the post and issued a statement clarifying his remarks and apologising to the public.
In it, he explained that he had long found it troubling how some groups react with hostility toward Igbos developing areas outside the South East, apologised for the brashness of his comments, and clarified that he had not intended to disparage Lagos, a state he described as having long supported the Igbo community’s art, business, and growth.
He affirmed that Lagos remains home to the community and would always be treated as such.