The accusation originated from an X (formerly Twitter) user, @mediavdm, who posted, "I’ve never seen this guy help anyone outside the Yoruba tribe.”
Onakoya initially responded to the claim with a metaphorical analogy, seemingly dismissing the user's assertion as "ignorance." He stated, "If you put a 100 black ants and a 100 red ants in a jar, nothing happens. But if you shake the jar, the ants start killing each other. Each red ant will believe the other black ant is the enemy, but the real enemy is the one who shook the jar."
However, this metaphorical response drew criticism from many who felt it did not directly address the user's specific claim of tribal favoritism.
In response to this feedback, Onakoya issued a more direct statement, detailing instances where his philanthropic work has positively impacted individuals from various ethnic backgrounds.
He began by saying, “I have nothing to prove to anyone, but for the sake of posterity, I feel compelled to say this."
Onakoya emphasized that his primary focus has always been on children and providing them with opportunities, stating, “I’ve always tried to ‘stick to chess’ on Twitter, not out of fear, but out of reverence for the sacred work we do. This work is about children and giving them a fighting chance to belong in a world that too often forgets them. It would be terribly selfish to let my personal opinions or politics smear the integrity of this important mission."
He expressed concern about increasing societal division, saying, “But I worry now. I worry that we’re becoming so divided as a people, so consumed by suspicion and tribal lines, that we’re losing sight of what truly matters. And if we continue on this trajectory of hate, the ones who will suffer most are the very ones we claim to love, our children.”
Directly addressing the accusation, Onakoya asserted, “It is simply untrue and deeply unfair to suggest that I favor any tribe or ethnicity. In all my years of living, the thought has never even crossed my mind. I have stood in IDP camps in Maiduguri and Yola. I’ve held hands with children in Bayelsa, Cross River, and Delta etc. We have supported education projects across every region in Nigeria, and now in over 20 countries across Africa.”
He highlighted the universality of the challenges faced by children, stating, “In all my travels, what I have seen is not tribe or religion, but talent, possibility, pain and deep suffering."
Onakoya reiterated his commitment to helping all children, regardless of their background: “I have made it my life’s work to stand in the gap for these children and be a voice that compels the world to be less indifferent to their plight. That should be our shared mission: to stand in the gap, together. Not as Igbo, Yoruba, Hausa, or Ijaw. But as Nigerians. As humans."
He cautioned against division, saying, “If we allow those who shake the jar to pit us against one another, we will fail the children and leave behind a legacy of hate. And that would be a tragedy too great to bear."
Concluding his statement, Onakoya affirmed his national identity and unwavering commitment: “I am proudly Nigerian. And my life will always remain committed to helping every child, no matter where they’re from, find their place in this world. Because in the end, the true measure of a nation is how fiercely it fights for the children it did not birth, but chose to love anyway.”