Mdzough U Tiv, Lagos State Branch, the apex Tiv socio-cultural organization, has sought a public apology from Big Brother Naija All Stars housemate Venita Akpofure for “defaming” the Tiv Nation.
Venita has faced backlash after claiming on the reality show that “Tiv men give their wives to visitors for entertainment purposes.”
The Lagos State chapter of Mdzough U Tiv demanded a “incontrovertible and unreserved public apology from her while she still has the global media platform” in a statement signed by its president, Engr. Theophilus Ukaa, and Secretary, Anagbe Terungwa.
The group said Venita’s statement “is not only a falsehood taken too far, but an aspersion cast on not just an individual but an entire tribe.”
The statement read:
“Mdrough U Tiv Lagos State Chapter received with absolute displeasure a trending video which purportedly captured a house mate of the globally popular reality television show Big Brother Naija-BBN, who is referred to as VENITA AKPOFURE, who on the international television show reportedly said the falsehood that the Tiv of North Central Nigeria arguably the fourth largest ethnic group, as their culture gives out their wives for nuptial pleasure to their guests.
“This statement is not only a falsehood taken too far, but an aspersion cast on not just an individual but an entire tribe, and we take a very strong objection to this unwarranted provocation against our Tiv tribe.
“The said Venita Akpofure is reportedly a former wife of a Tiv man from an important family in the Tiv Nation, they are now divorced, so we expect that she should know better and despite the facts of the divorce, she is said to have children from her former marriage, as such we expect that she should be an ambassador of truth for her children’s sakes.
“That the said Venita Alpeture has decided to band up with evil conspirators intent on image battery of the Tiv Nation and rather champion a course for demeaning her children race, we demand an incontrovertible and unreserved public apology from her whilst she still has the global media platform.”
The group also stated that it has instructed its lawyers to initiate legal proceedings against Venita Akpofure “to seek legal redress for this libelous infraction against an entire tribe.”
