ENUGU, NIGERIA — The political landscape of Enugu State has taken a highly personalized and dramatic turn as Comrade Chris Agwu, the 2023 People’s Redemption Party (PRP) governorship candidate, publicly attacked the identity and heritage of Nollywood veteran turned politician, Barrister Kenneth Okonkwo.
Loading ...Agwu has thrown a sharp spotlight on Okonkwo’s roots, going as far as to question his physical appearance and directly challenging him to investigate his true paternity through his mother.
The Identity Challenge
The friction erupted amid ongoing political disagreements in the state, leading Agwu to issue a blunt, provocative public statement aimed directly at undermining Okonkwo’s standing as an indigenous son of Enugu State.
“I am giving an assignment to Kenneth Okonkwo, he should ask his mother who is Chief Samuel Onitiri,” Agwu stated. “Look at Kenneth Okonkwo’s lips, does that look like the lips of an Enugu man?”
By invoking the name of Chief Samuel Onitiri—a prominent historic Lagos corporate figure and political actor—and drawing attention to Okonkwo’s physical features, Agwu is attempting to push a narrative that the Living in Bondage star does not culturally or biologically belong to the Nsukka zone of Enugu State, where he has long claimed indigeneity.
A Pattern of “Big Mouth” Controversies
Agwu’s hyper-focused critique of Okonkwo’s lips and facial features aligns with a broader wave of criticism the actor has faced from various political actors in recent months. Due to his highly vocal, aggressive, and often shifting political stances, critics have frequently taken jabs at his appearance.
Recently, commentators and political opponents have routinely mocked what they describe as Okonkwo’s “wide-mouthed wanderings” on national television, accusing him of “talking from both sides of his mouth.” This latest attack by Agwu takes the critique out of the realm of mere political inconsistency and firmly into a targeted assault on family identity.
Okonkwo’s Political Shifting Under Fire
The attack on Okonkwo comes at a time when he is facing immense pressure within the Southeast political sphere. After rising to immense political popularity as a staunch spokesperson for Peter Obi and the Labour Party during the 2023 presidential cycle, Okonkwo has since drifted through various political tents, including the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and making public overtures to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
His recent scathing television appearances—where he turned around to fiercely attack Peter Obi, calling him a “political conman”—have deeply alienated him from many regional stakeholders. Local politicians like Agwu appear to be capitalizing on this widespread regional anger by attempting to strip Okonkwo of his local identity and label him an outsider.
Okonkwo, who maintains a proud identity as an Nsukka-born lawyer and actor, has not yet officially responded to Agwu’s paternity insinuations.
