On Tuesday, former presidential aide Reno Omokri stirred online controversy when he claimed that an attire commonly associated with the Igbo ethnic group and minorities in the Niger Delta does not originate from them.
Omokri was referring to the Okpu Agu cap, Etibo shirt, and wrapper worn by podcaster Ezugwu Chukwudi, popularly known as Husband Material, during his appearance on the Honest Bunch podcast aired Tuesday night, sparking intense debate among Nigerians.
When asked why he frequently wears Yoruba Aso Oke attire, which he also promotes on his social media pages, Omokri explained his preference, then turned to critique the hosts for wearing Western clothing. He also pointed at Husband Material, who was dressed in traditional attire.
Pointing to Husband Material, he said, “Nothing he’s wearing is of Nigerian origin.”
“That is not of Nigerian origin,” Omokri said, referring to the Okpu Agu hat. “That is a colonial winter cap that the colonialists were using. It is the truth. It is not of Igbo origin.”
He then pointed to the presenter’s shirt: “The reason why they call it Etibo—even my people, the Itsekiri, wear it. I don’t wear it because it is actually a sailor’s uniform.
The reason why they call it Etibo is because it was sewn for ‘Eight Bols’, which is an old currency. They couldn’t pronounce ‘Eight Bols’, so they called it Etibo. It is not of Nigerian origin. The studs are not of Nigerian origin.”
Regarding the wrapper, Omokri said: “And this wrapper—they call them George—comes from Holland. During the coronation of King George, the colonial government gave Nigerian women George, and that’s why they decided to wear it. It comes from Holland, and the cheaper ones come from India. They just make you think that it is Nigerian. It is not made in Nigeria.”
Omokri continued: “Aso Oke has been made in Nigeria for over 800 years. If you go to the British Museum, you will see the Ooni of Ife… The reason you don’t recognise it as Aso Oke is because you’re used to seeing it sewn differently. That cloth the Ooni wrapped around himself, tied over his shoulder—that’s Aso Oke. That’s why I choose to wear only authentic Nigerian materials.”
However, Okwu ID, a UK-based organisation promoting African and Igbo culture, described Okpu Agu as a knitted woollen hat—somewhat cone-shaped with a bob at the end—traditionally worn by warriors in Igbo land.
According to its website, these warriors were part of the Aro Confederacy, a powerful political and economic alliance that emerged in southeastern Nigeria around Arochukwu during the 18th and 19th centuries.
That said, the Okpu Agu does closely resemble the winter cap worn by Westerners, known as a beanie. According to Zaini, a UK store specialising in knitted hats, the beanie originated in 12th-century Wales, where it was called the Monmouth Cap. Other sources affirm that Americans later gave the cap the name Beanie when it arrived in the US in the 20th century.
Verdicts
Okpu Agu: If beanie caps existed in the West as far back as the 12th century, and the Aro Confederacy emerged in the 18th and 19th centuries, it is plausible that the Okpu Agu was inspired by Western designs during colonial contact. Since there are no historical records of Okpu Agu predating colonialism, Omokri’s claim that it was introduced by colonialists appears credible. Score: 90%
Etibo: Omokri’s claim that the Etibo shirt resembles a sailor’s uniform is also reasonable. The shirt, particularly when studded, bears similarities to colonial naval attire. Additionally, there is no evidence of a similar style being used by Nigerians before colonial contact. Score: 70%
George Wrapper: Omokri’s claim about the George wrapper has significant historical support. According to the Textile Research Centre (TRC), in 1611, the British East India Company established a factory near Madraspatnam (now Chennai), an area renowned for its textile production. British merchants promoted the export of this cloth, now widely known as Madras or George cloth. The Dutch imported versions were known as Madras doek. Thus, the George wrapper has clear colonial and foreign roots. Score: 80%
Mokwe alleged that his arrest and prolonged detention were ordered by Peter Obi.
A former presidential candidate, Peter Obi, who on Tuesday criticised what he described as Nigeria’s slide into lawlessness under President Bola Tinubu — following the alleged illegal demolition of a company property belonging to his younger brother in Ikeja, Lagos — has been accused of similar actions during his time as governor of Anambra State.
SaharaReporters recalls that in 2013, Obi personally supervised the demolition of Upper Class Hotel, a three-storey building located at 8 Old Market Road, Onitsha.
The hotel was owned by Mr. Bonaventure Mokwe, who later accused the former governor of taking rash actions and making incendiary comments following public protests against the demolition.
Another Nigerian tweep, identified only as Kambbi, queried the former governor on Wednesday, saying, "Peter Obi, can you remember when you bragged that there'd be ZERO compensation for buildings you demolished when you were governor?"
Mokwe had alleged that he was arrested and tortured by operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) on Obi’s orders and was held in custody for three months without being charged to court.
He claimed that the hotel was demolished based on unverified allegations linking him to kidnapping activities, an accusation he strongly denies.
Meanwhile, in 2020, the Anambra State Judicial Panel of Inquiry on Police Brutality, Extra-Judicial Killings, and Other Related Matters iinvited Obi to testify regarding his role during the #EndSARS protests that swept the nation.
Justice Veronica Umeh, chairperson of the panel, announced the invitation, while responding to a petition submitted by Mr. Bonaventure Mokwe.
Mokwe accused the former governor of making rash decisions and incendiary remarks in the aftermath of the protests.
In a five-page petition, Mokwe also demanded a public apology from the state government for branding him a kidnapper and detaining him in the custody of the now-defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) for 81 days without trial.
During his testimony, Mokwe alleged that his arrest and prolonged detention were ordered by Peter Obi.
He claimed he was held for three months without being charged in court and witnessed numerous gruesome killings by SARS operatives while in custody.
Bonaventure Mokwe, the owner of the demolished Upper Class Hotel in Onitsha, alleged that the former Anambra State governor, Peter Obi, orchestrated a vendetta against him that led to the destruction of his hotel.
According to Mokwe, his ordeal began after a guest who had lodged in one of the hotel rooms was arrested by operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS). During a search, human skulls were reportedly discovered in the room. Mokwe insists the entire incident was staged.
"Someone checked into Room 102 of my hotel. The next morning, SARS operatives arrived and claimed they found human skulls in the room. But they never asked for the identity of the guest or investigated how the skulls got there. They came only to ‘discover’ the planted evidence and proceed with the demolition," he said.
He claimed the action was politically motivated, stemming from a dispute involving the control of motor parks in Onitsha.
"Peter Obi converted Ose Motor Park to Onitsha Park and handed its revenue collection to people from Onitsha. My own park, Mokwe Park, is located nearby. When transporters began to complain about high fees at Ose Park, many of them moved to my park. That didn’t sit well with the Onitsha faction, and just two weeks later, the skulls were allegedly planted in my hotel."
Mokwe further alleged that the demolition, which took place on the same day of the skull discovery, was premeditated.
"My hotel, built in 1973, was brought down without any investigation. I have evidence that payment for the bulldozer used in the demolition was made two days before the incident. How did they know what they would find if it wasn’t staged?"
He also blamed the then SARS commander, James Nwafor, for enabling extrajudicial activities.
"James Nwafor didn’t come from Ebonyi State to start killing people on his own. There were people in power who empowered him — and we are ready to expose them," Mokwe added.
Earlier, SaharaReporters reported that the former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, condemned what he described as Nigeria’s slide into lawlessness under President Bola Tinubu, following the alleged illegal demolition of a company property belonging to his younger brother in Ikeja, Lagos State.
In a statement posted on his official X (formerly Twitter) account on Tuesday, Obi expressed outrage over the incident, which he said reflects a broader pattern of impunity and disregard for the rule of law in the country.
In a statement posted on his official X (formerly Twitter) account on Tuesday, Obi expressed outrage over the incident, which he said reflects a broader pattern of impunity and disregard for the rule of law in the country.
He said that the whole situation screamed of coordinated lawlessness and impunity, warning that such actions threaten the nation’s economic future and social stability.
He lamented Nigeria’s worsening human rights record, citing recent reports that highlight deteriorating civil liberties, personal safety, and institutional protections.
According to the former governor, any society where lawlessness overrides the rule of law is not destined to be a haven for investors.
Obi stated that the government’s failure to uphold civil rights and ensure basic legal protections is sending a dangerous message both to Nigerians and the international community.
The Ashanti regional police command has arrested five Nigerians and a Ghanaian for their alleged involvement in the attack and robbery of customers in some banks in Kumasi.
Regional Police Commander, DCOP Emmanuel Teye Cudjoe, says the suspects follow their victims after they withdraw large sums of money from financial institutions. They then break into their vehicles to rob.
Their operations have been going on for the past month.
Two suspects were identified from police intelligence gathering, supported by footage from the intelligence video surveillance (IVS) system monitored at the police emergency command centre.
A gold-coloured Toyota Highlander with registration number GT 2471-14 and a black Toyota Highlander with registration number GX 7124-12 were confirmed to be used for the robbery. Both vehicles were found to bear fake licence plates.
According to the police commander, on Thursday, 19th June, 2025, around 10 am, the police successfully arrested three other suspects; Russell Ekenze, 29 years, a taxi driver, Francis Friday, 49 years, and Linus Agwazie, a 51-year-old trader.
DCOP Teye Cudjoe, in his press briefing, said that during their interrogation, the suspects confessed to being part of a large criminal syndicate.
"They admitted to carrying out similar thefts at several locations within Kumasi, including Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), Mayanka, Asokwa, Kumasi Central Mosque, ShopRite and Georgia Hotel area.
They also named other members of the syndicate as Cosmas Maduabuchukwu, Ezuchukwu, C.J , DD and Lele," he said.
He added that Cosmas Maduabuchukwu sustained gunshot wounds during an attempted arrest but managed to flee.
Six suspects are currently in police custody and the two vehicles used by the syndicate have been impounded. A manhunt is underway to arrest Cosmos Maduabuchukwu and other accomplices still at large.
“Preliminary findings indicate that all members of the syndicate are Nigerian nationals with the exception of DD, who is a Ghanaian and they have been arraigned before the court for lawful remand,” said the police.
The police command has assured the public of its commitment to ensure the safety and security of all residents in the region.
mannobi: Brazilian is an extension of the yoruba people. That's the country with most population of indigenous yorubas outside Africa
The wife was at Masoyinbo today. It was very beautiful to watch. They talked about the Yoruba culture in Brazil and how Olalekan is also promoting the culture in Nigeria.
Even the Brazilian president no dey take Yoruba play at all.
AMINDA: Same way Tinubu was never charged for the drug dealing case as well. But if your cronies are the likes of Chargoury and suspected arm dealers, then it really leaves much to be desired. No smoke without fire.
He was never charged. You are right. Hence, he is a free man.
Dannyset: The coalition already started on a wrong foot.
Firstly, Sule Lamido tried to change history known to Nigerians despite the role he and Anenih played in the nullification of the June 12 election.
Secondly, fronting Elrufai a known liar to speak for it(coalition). Nigerians are aware that Elrufai can lie today and back it up with another lies tomorrow. That is why OBJ called him a pathological liar. It is that bad.
A group of liars cannot earn the trust of Nigerians, especially when it is being done by a Northerner.
Anenih was one of the, if not the, most corrupt politician that ever came out of Nigeria. He was so corrupt that his nickname was "Mr Fix it".
As for Lamido, he was also suspended from SDP for anti-party activities during the June 12 era. Same clown is now trying to re-write history.
Obiedun: Look what Ojukwu said. Evil people always do evil.
Even Peter Obi was one of those that were Nzeribe's (ABM) and Chukwumerije's foot soldiers that went to deliver the court order from Justice Bassey Ikpeme's court barring NEC from conducting June 12 election.
Obi was rewarded with a post by Abacha to head a port and he made his billions from that appointment from Abacha.
Karlovych: Fulani soldiers flogged the hell out of Abiola in the streets of Lagos while his people were cowering in fear in their various homes.
As I remember clearly, people came out in droves and defied the military. They were singing:
"how many people soldier go kill ooo how many people soldier go kill dem go kill us tire dem go kill us tire how many people soldier go kill"
Interestingly, I remember all the igbos in my class and their parents cowardly fled to the South East. We were still going to school with green leaves on our cars till it became too hot and school closed.
I dont blame the igbos that fled to their villages sha. After all, they were visitors in the SW, and they assumed a war will break out between the North and the SW, and they didn't not wan't to be part of it despite the evil role they played to annul the June 12.
Gbajure: The Ooni Oranmiyan must have been a Chief Priest then? Becos he was Ooni Adimula upon returning to IFE from Bini, before leaving for a journey to Mecca, which terminated at Old Oyo. And if he is, what do you called his descendants?
Dont mind the olodos,
Princes from Ife that established several Yoruba kingdoms like the Aworis of Lagos and Ogun, the Obanta of Ijebu, The Olota of Ota, Prince Awamaro of Ado Ekiti e.t.c are not royalty because they somehow think distorting history by cooking up some foolish chief priest story will make their Oloyo number 1 over his seniors
ogagun1: In the hay days of Old Oyo Empire, did the empire influence present day Ekiti, Ondo and Lagos? I just want to know.
No. The empire never got to ekiti, Ondo, ife, Ilesha and Ijebu..
And 2. The Oyo king is not the head of yoruba. Ife existed before oyo. The Benin monarchy and all other monarchy in the south respect the ooni, olofin, oghene e.t.c more than the Alaafin. Who is actually a junior king to many earlier kingdoms like ife, owu, owo, Benin e.t.c
Eastern Yoruba folks, after respecting the Ooni, respects the oba of Benin next. They dont rate the Alaafin that much and were never under his empire.
Those clowns or Oyo supremacist will say stuff like the ooni being a chief priest. Oranmiyan, the founder of Oyo became an ooni at ife. Was prince and later king iranmiyan a chief priest too. Ask them that question, and you will see them dissappear like cockroaches.
Offpoint1: Isrealis will killed, why Americans are safe at home.
A suppose peace mediator has just stir the war
Lots of Anericans are actually stuck in Israel and s various countries in the Middle East. Some have made it to Egypt and others to Turkey to fly back home.
I don't understand Trump at all. Americans would be paying high gas prices all because he wanted to get in a war on the side of Israel. For the first time in like 7 years plus, I liked the tweet of Republican representative from Georgia, crazy biatch MTG. The world is indeed going crazy.
The US is now asking China to stop Iran from closing that strait. Lol..
Price of gas in Nigeria will likely jump up too.
As for me, I will be going to fill up my 2 suvs tomorrow. Got to save myself some dollars.
dettolgel: I am not excited about it, it is sad that both sides have chosen to endanger the lives of ordinary everyday man. I am only concern about the bs and bear parlour nonsense you guys are peddling around Clowns everywhere
I only really started following it today as I cared less before. I am only worried about high gas price once Iran closes that strait everyone keeps talking about in America. I don't even remember the name of that strait without googling.
dettolgel: Hitting them hard in what sense? Someone came your house killed security heads and bread winners of your family all you could do is go to their house destroyed their breakable plates and then come out to claim that you have hit them hard. Clowns everywhere
Why are you so excited on this issue. I suspect you are one of those religious fanatics. . Lol.
I am enjoying the show as I have no horse in the race. I suggest you do same.
Fashion › Records Back Omokri’s Claim Linking ‘Okpu Agu’ To Colonialists by Slytiger(op): 6:17pm On Jun 25, 2025
Fulani soldiers flogged the hell out of Abiola in the streets of Lagos while his people were cowering in fear in their various homes.