Prof Tamuno family disclaim “Igbo The Maker of Modern Nigeria” linked to the late academic

By Ben Ebiri

The family of the late Prof Tekena Tamuno have disclaimed an article linked by social media frandsters to the late academic Ene Tamuno,a lawyer described the piece as fraudulent.

The serial piece had laid claim that the Igbo are the founders of modern Nigeria with the name Prof Takena Tamuno attached to it.

The piece tried to undermine the contributions of other ethnic groups in Nigeria emphasising only the pre-eminence of Igbo leaders.

The Tamuno family said the respected historian did not author the article.

But the family said in a release in Monday, made available to Irohinoodua that Prof Tamuno did not author the piece.

The disclaimer was titled “Unauthorized Use of the Name, Image and Likeness of late Emeritus Prof. Tekena N. Tamuno”

The release made available to Irohinoodua is posted below:

“To Whom It May Concern:

It has come to the attention of the family of the late Emeritus Prof. Tekena N. Tamuno (1932-2015) that an article titled “IGBO ARE THE MAKERS OF MODERN NIGERIA-PROF TEKENA TAMUNO” posted on a website [email protected] (Opinions section) is improperly using the name and image of our dear dad, the late Emeritus Prof. Tekena N. Tamuno. The article is circulating on social media. The faceless and nameless author of the article uses the name of our late dad at the beginning and end of the Article. A cursory review of the post may lead a reader to believe that it was written by the late Emeritus Professor Tekena. N. Tamuno. Buried in the article is a statement ascribed to our dad, without a full and verifiable citation or context, which we are unable to accept, contextualize or refute, partially or fully.

The undersigned on behalf of the Tekena N. Tamuno family hereby unequivocally states that the afore-mentioned write-up posted on the above-mentioned website and circulating on social media was not written by the late Emeritus Prof. Tekena N. Tamuno nor was it approved by his family. Attaching our dad’s photograph and name to the title and at the end of the article as if he was the author of the article is impermissible. The family of the late Emeritus Prof. Tekena N. Tamuno strongly object to such unauthorized use of the name and likeness of the late patriarch of the family and submit this disclaimer to that end.

The late Emeritus Prof. Tekena N. Tamuno, of blessed memory, was apolitical, non-sectional and non-partisan and his scholarly writings reflect that. Inasmuch as everyone has a right to free speech/freedom of expression, the family of the late Emeritus Prof. Tekena N. Tamuno family is saddened that a nameless and faceless person would use the likeness and name of our dad to push the author’s narrative and such conduct is strongly denounced by the family. The family hereby cautions the general public to cross check facts that may circulate on the internet ascribed to a well known, indeed to any, personality, to verify the authenticity of the alleged facts or statements. The family of the late Emeritus Prof. Tekena N. Tamuno request that [email protected] immediately remove our dad’s name and picture from the unauthorized publication and provide full verifiable citation of any quote attributed to our dad.

This serves to put [email protected] and the world on notice that future attempts to publish and disseminate information that misleads as to authorship under the name and likeness of the late Emeritus Prof. Tekena N. Tamuno will be vigorously challenged to the fullest extent of applicable laws. The family of the late Emeritus Prof. Tekena N. Tamuno reserves all its rights.”