21/02/2026
Many of us have heard that statement:
“IF YOU SEE A SNAKE AND A MBAISE PERSON, KILL THE MBAISE PERSON AND LEAVE THE SNAKE.”
People call it a joke. But that “joke” has done damage.
That kind of statement has tried to paint the people of Mbaise in Imo State as cruel. It has tried to frame us as cheaters. It has tried to label us as greedy and heartless.
Over time, when something negative is repeated again and again, some people start to believe it.
And that is how stereotypes work.
They take one story, one misunderstanding, or pure jealousy, and turn it into a label for thousands of innocent people.
Because Mbaise people are known to be strong, outspoken, and hardworking, some people twist that strength into “wickedness.” Because we push ourselves to succeed, some people twist that ambition into “greed.” Because we are confident and bold, some people twist that into “cruelty.”
But being strong is not cruelty.
Being ambitious is not greed.
Being smart is not cheating.
The truth is simple. Mbaise people are human beings like every other tribe. We have good people. We have average people. We have different personalities. Just like every community in Nigeria.
Yet this stereotype tries to reduce us to one ugly image. It tries to make others look at us with suspicion before they even know us. It has caused people to judge us unfairly in friendships, in marriages, in business, and in social spaces.
That is not just a joke. That is damage.
No group of people deserves to be compared to a snake. No community deserves to be described as something that should be destroyed. Words like that slowly create division among brothers and sisters.
My people are educated.
My people are entrepreneurs. My people are pastors, doctors, teachers, traders, and professionals. We raise families. We contribute to society. We work hard for what we have.
We are not cruel.
We are not cheaters.
We are not greedy by nature.
We are proud, disciplined, and determined. And sometimes, when people cannot control you or compete with you, they try to control the story about you.
Mbaise is not a stereotype. . And we deserve to be seen for who we truly are not through the lens of tribal insults.
Thank you.
Penned by creative ✍️