Maryanne Moghalu, wife of a former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Kingsley Moghalu, has stated that she has nothing to apologise for after warning investors not to invest in Lagos.

Moghalu made the statement in 2024 during a demolition exercise by the Lagos State Government against illegal structures and unapproved buildings that block canal pathways, causing flooding in certain parts of the state.

Her words were brought to light again by a social media influencer, Ogbeni Dipo, in a debate with governance expert and lawyer Joe Abah, about ethnic slurs.

Abah was reminded that Moghalu once demarketed Lagos by warning investors against investing in the state. She had said on X, “Invest in Lagos at your own peril.”

Reacting, Abah said, “Maryanne Moghalu will not stop me or anyone else from investing in Lagos or anywhere else. I didn’t need to respond to that even if I had seen it.”

It was immediately brought to his attention that he also doesn’t have to be “frightened” by an offensive advertisement by Bokku Mart, since it has been deleted, along with an apology.

Coming into the debate, Moghalu’s wife urged Abah to leave her out of his stories, adding that she has no apology to tender for warning investors about Lagos.

She wrote, “I have absolutely nothing to apologise for about my statement. It was personal, and I reserve the right to make it. When an elder like you chooses to play these games, you become what we call ‘Okenye n’agwo ofe’.

“If you invest with approval and it is destroyed at will, no matter where it is, I will say do not invest there. Period. Legally, if you ignore wrongdoing for a long time and have, in fact, benefited from it, you can not turn around and shout foul when it pleases you.

“These buildings were allowed, and taxes collected on them. Proper due process must be followed and adequate compensation paid where appropriate.

“Please leave me out of your stories. This was completely unnecessary. And for the record, when I made the statement, it was not directed at any tribe. Many properties of non-Igbos have also been demolished. Anyone who, for their own purpose, decides to make it about tribe, it is on them. Your type always wants to be seen as being on the fence and be proud of it. What caution have you given to the blatant anti-Igbo rhetoric that has been displayed here for the past several years? To quote Ned Nwoko’s wife, Biko, ‘Respect is beautiful things’.” (THE GUARDIAN)