Opeyemi Famakin made a video. He is a food critic with a large following. He spoke about counterfeit drugs. He said Kano is the number two hub. He said: “We know the tribe that are in Number 1.” The implication was clear. He named no statistics. He gave no data. He challenged Igbo people to address the issue. He said everyone is dying of fake drugs.
Nigeria’s counterfeit crisis is real. NAFDAC destroyed ₦22.73 billion in fake products between January and August 2026. The raids hit markets in Onitsha and Aba. They also hit Lagos and Kano. In 2023, a methanol poisoning in Ondo killed 29 people and blinded five. The prime suspect was not Igbo. In 2024, NAFDAC shut a fake alcohol factory in Aba worth over ₦500 million. Counterfeiting is a national crime. It is not owned by one ethnic group. But the temptation to ethnicise it is old. Blaming a group is easier than fixing a system.
Critics responded sharply. They asked for the evidence. Where is the research? Where is the ethnic breakdown of convicted counterfeiters? One response, circulating widely, condemned counterfeiters without reservation. It then turned to Famakin. It asked why his anger was directed at an ethnic population rather than the institutions responsible for regulation. It noted that NAFDAC is led by Professor Mojisola Adeyeye. It asked whether she is pursuing inspections and prosecutions with the courage of Professor Dora Akunyili. It pointed to the regulatory failure. It said the Igbo could equally be victims of the same dangerous products.
The rebuttal was detailed. It argued that scapegoating an ethnic group risks discrimination and violence. It said Nigeria’s history shows where that leads. It said when Nigerians develop kidney disease, they need care and investigation, not an ethnic indictment. It urged Igbo people to challenge the narrative peacefully and with evidence.
Famakin’s supporters called it honest talk. They said he praised Igbo people as the nicest in his experience. They said he was pushing back against cries of tribalism. Both sides agree on one thing. Counterfeiters should be prosecuted. The debate is about who they are and whether ethnicity explains the crime.
Winners: Famakin, who gains attention. Critics, who gain a platform. NAFDAC, if the scrutiny improves enforcement. Losers: Igbo people, who face renewed prejudice. The public health debate, which is distorted by ethnicity. NAFDAC, whose failures are exposed. Nigerians who die from fake products while the argument continues. Social cohesion, which erodes with each ethnic claim.
Bottom Line: A food critic made an ethnic claim without evidence. He was challenged. The real issue is regulation. NAFDAC must act. Counterfeiters must be prosecuted. Ethnicity is not the problem. Impunity is.