In a recent statement via his official X account, Chidi Odinkalu, a law professor and former Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, has addressed recent comments made by Ruben Abati on Arise TV.
Abati had spoken about the reluctance of some Igbo communities to sell land to non-Igbo individuals, using the late T.O.S. Benson as an example.
During his part, Abati invited viewers to contradict his perspective on the matter.
In response, Odinkalu took to his social media to criticized Abati’s statements.
“My brother @abati1990 invites anyone to contradict him. That isn’t necessary. He shd listen to himself. TOS Benson SAN, had an Igbo wife (from Ideato). He was from Ikorodu, a patrilineal society. So, how cld he have (had) an Igbo daughter? From the Igbo wife or from another,” Odinkalu wrote.
Odinkalu’s response questions the logic behind Abati’s example and highlighted the marital and cultural background of T.O.S. Benson, suggesting that the example did not align with Abati’s argument about land ownership restrictions.