Essential Ndubuisi
Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo took to his verified Twitter account on Wednesday to share his experience of searching for an apartment just before getting married. He recalled how his landlord at the time, an elderly lawyer who primarily dealt with real estate, had rolled out three categories of people he would not rent his property to, which included Igbos, Ijebus, and lawyers.
“In 1989, I was about to get married and I was searching for a good house to rent. I met my landlord who happened to be an elderly lawyer who obviously did more real estate than legal practice,” he said.
“He let me know that there were three categories of people he would not rent property in his care to – Igbos, Ijebus and lawyers. I was disqualified on two accounts. He then said to me, pointing behind him at a few shrivelled-up books on a small bookshelf, that he had the arsenal to destroy any tenant in court if I gave him any trouble. He later, to his embarrassment, discovered that I was a Law teacher and adviser to the then Attorney General of the Federation and of course, that I am also Ijebu.
“I have shared this story to illustrate a point that I think is hugely important which is that prejudice and bias are natural aspects of human nature. Everyone has prejudices and preferences that are reinforced by stories and narratives.”
