A blogger who claims to be the editor of Igbo Times Magazine and INews, Mr. Ejike Ofoegbu Experience, has apologized for publishing a series of news stories disparaging Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, and his son, Ozonna.
The blogger had published four news articles after a video of Ozonna went viral, showing him dancing to a song criticizing some Nigerian politicians, including his father.
Ofoegbu stated in one of the reports that Governor Soludo had said that he had disowned his son for years and that he was no longer responsible for his actions.
In another report, he stated that Ozonna gave an interview in which he said he had first disowned his father, listing several reasons for doing so.
However, in a retraction and apology video posted on his page, Ofoegbu apologized, admitting that the stories were false, as none of the people mentioned gave any interviews.
He confessed that he made up the stories in the hope that they would go viral, thus increasing the popularity of his blogs and generating income.
He said: “I wish to offer my deepest and sincere apologies to Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, the Executive Governor of Anambra State, his family and the general public.
“I publicly admit that the stories I published about Governor Soludo and his son were completely false, untrue, fabricated and untrue. They did not come from Governor Soludo, his son, his family or any official representative. They were not based on any verified facts or credible source, and should never have been presented as news.”
He further said: “I also apologize to the people of Anambra State, the readers of Igbo Times Magazine and INews, and everyone who has seen or shared these false posts. I am committed to correcting this mistake and ensuring that such an incident does not happen again.”
Some of the headlines he posted read: “Breaking news: I will arrest anyone who calls Ozo my son. He is not my son. I disowned him years ago and he is no longer a member of the Soludo family.”
Another said: “Newcomer: I don’t follow my father’s advice. He was a drunk who beat my mother when I was young. His treatment of my mother made me decide never to follow his advice: ‘Soludo’s son’ speaks.”
Two other made-up headlines read: “Breaking news: I ordered Ozo from Temu. He’s Chinese-made, he’s not my son. Even in the hospital, when he was born, I asked the doctor: ‘I hope you didn’t accidentally swap my real son’. Ozo is Temu’s,” Soludo jokingly told reporters. Another said: “Breaking news: you should have a drinking contest between my dad and Wike. I just want to see something. I’m willing to bet my life that my dad would win. People don’t understand his ability to drink.” —Ozo.
It is not yet clear whether Ofoegbu has been arrested by security officers, as the apology message was accompanied by a video in which he appeared visibly frightened while apologizing for his actions.