On November 1st afternoon, the businessman was reportedly called in for questioning by Abuja EFCC operatives over alleged money laundering and tax fraud. He was, however, detained, interrogated, and his passport got seized.
The is coming months after the popular socialite and nightlife entrepreneur became the centre of attention following the lavish show of wealth during his mother’s burial in Oba, Anambra State, on the 15th of July this year.
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Indeed, just for the burial alone, the socialite, also known as Gods Preferred son, got over 500 livestock from friends and family and killed over 200 cows for the one-week long ceremony. Obi Cubana also splashed on a diamond-encrusted chain worth 40 million Naira just for the ceremony and pledged 300 million Naira to Youth development in the state. Guest at the event put the entire Anambra on a standstill. Many arrived in private jets. The Cubana CEO and his friends turned the burial venue into a money football field as they sprayed money like paper and used bundles of both local and hard foreign currency to play football.
Interestingly, before the show-stopper event, Obi Cubana was literally unknown to the general public, causing many to tag him as a rebranded Yahoo boy. In the same vein, they called on the EFCC to investigate his source of wealth despite evidence that the socialite is a legitimate hustler.
However, many are not convinced the EFCC is working on intelligence reports. Do most people believe Obi Cubana’s arrest may have to do with his ethnicity as an Igboman or the upcoming Anambra Gubernatorial election? Could any of this be true?
Before July 2021, not many Nigerians could claim that they know or have heard of Obi Cubana, the CEO of Cubana Group. However, in July of the same year, the 45-year-old silent Igbo billionaire whose real name is Obinna Iyiegbu put his village, Oba, in Anambra State on the world map using his mother’s burial.
Of course, people didn’t know what was coming initially until, he friends gifted him over 500 livestock for the one-week long, carnival-like burial ceremony. It’s was so unbelievable, but many were forced to accept it as reality when the main event began. Obi Cubana showed the world that there is money and there is Igbo money. Reality hit hard after guests at the event, primarily billionaires and celebrities, were captured drinking beverages worth over 1 million Naira per bottle like it was sachet water.
Obi Cubana got heavy backlash for a country where legitimate wealth is often mistaken as ill-gotten for what many termed a ‘wasteful event’. It didn’t take long for many to compare him to the way ritualists and fraudsters spray money. And, of course, they began asking for the source of his wealth. Little did Nigerians know that Cubana Chiefpriest, who is well known, was just a frontman, with Obi Cubana being the man engineering things behind the scene. It happened that Obi Cubana was the unknown CEO, founder, and owner of Cubana Group, a chain of companies with investments in the real estate, hospitality, tourism, and nightlife industry.
After his mother’s burial, the serial entrepreneur began granting interviews detailing his humble beginning and how he made his wealth from his chains of businesses. Even with his legitimate source of wealth, many Nigerians remained in disbelieve. Popular activist Deji Adeyanju also berated the socialite for acting what he dims as irresponsibly and drawing so much attention to himself. He predicted that the Igbo billionaire would now be under scrutiny by every relevant financial and security agency worldwide.
What is it they say about when opportunity knocks?
After going viral and hitting over 2 Million followers and still counting, Obi Cubana used the opportunity to dive fully into the limelight, documenting his business and lifestyle on social media and even leveraging on it to become the latest centre of attraction in the country. Every now and then, he would show off what it’s like to be a billionaire, you know, the luxury homes, luxury cars, luxury vacations, and the private jet. Of course, the “aspire to perspire and never retire” motivational talks kept coming in. In between, he was closing multimillionaire deals, including a recent one with Remy Martins and Laurent Perrier. The father of 4 is also opening a new club in London and recently snagged the Sun Entertainment Man of the Year Award.
Unfortunately, just after he told his followers to normalize luxury in their lives, the EFCC has chosen to express their displeasure on his newfound fame for the first time.
Barely five months after his mother’s famous burial, EFCC rounds up Obi Cubana, arrest him, and interrogate him over financial-related crimes. According to Punch, EFCC vowed to release him only when satisfied with his response to all questions relating to his involvement in various illegal deals.
Interestingly, many Nigerians doubt the unconfirmed charges and assert that the anti-graft agency may not be carrying out due diligence but executing yet another witch-hunting exercise. Many claims that the timing of his arrest is not right. And it is not a coincidence that he is being investigated just a few days before the Anambra Gubernatorial election, which has become the most sensitive election in the state’s history. On the other hand, others claim the federal government is witch-hunting him because he is a rich Igboman, adding that the alleged charges of tax fraud and money laundering are just to bring him down.
Reactions
While many Nigeria were waiting for Daddy Freeze to be out his ring light and camera, others reacted wildly to Obi Cubana’s arrest, especially his close family and friends. Here is what they have to say:
His wife, Ebele Iyiegbu, took to her Instagram page to shower her husband with praises, adding that she loves him and is solidly behind him. She further noted that even Jesus went through worse, so there is no need to stress because God raised her husband. She then reiterated that “whom God has blessed, no man can curse.”
Cubana Chiefpreiest wrote, “what doesn’t kill us makes us stronger. We Igbos are used to this. #freecubana.”
Frodd BBNaija quoting Euripides wrote, “when a good man is hurt, all who would be called good must hurt with him. I stand with you. All is well.”
Nollywood actress Georgina Onuoha wrote, “EFCC can arrest Obi Cubana, but Abba Kyari is free. Tinubu, the bullion van king, is free. Wonderful one Nigeria.”
Surreptitiously basking in schadenfreude, Deji Adeyanju wrote, “when I told Obi Cubana to be careful, some people said I was jealous of him. It’s still much better to be arrested by EFCC than the FBI. He should be celebrating that it’s EFCC, calm down Obi. It’s not serious for now, but it could get worse.”
Twitter influencer Dr Penking wrote, “the arrest of Obi Cubana definitely has something to do with Anambra gubernatorial elections holding this Saturday.”
In the same vein, many have questioned Obi Cubana arrest when Abba Kyari, the disgraced super cop, is still a free man and reportedly reinstated back to his position despite the staggering evidence against him by the FBI.
Meanwhile, following arrest, Obi Cubana’s social handle has also reacted in a post on his Instagram page where he wrote, “Unbroken.”
What do you think about Obi Cubana’s arrest over alleged tax fraud and money laundering by the EFCC?
Do you agree it’s based on an intelligence report or just another witch-hunting exercise?
Or would you say it’s due to the lavish show of wealth during and after his mother’s burial?
Or would you say it’s due to the lavish show of wealth during and after his mother’s burial?
Or are you among those who believe it’s simply because he is an Igbo man?
