As innocent and patriotic Independence Day messages about one’s country are, according to Nigerians, it seems not everyone is entitled to say it.
This may be the case with the Nigerian vice president, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, when on October 1, 2022 took to his official Twitter account to share a photo with a message to pray for the country in commemoration of its freedom from colonial rule.
The photo with a caption The labour of our heroes past shall never be in vain drew the anger of some Twitter users who came down heavily on the vice president. One Francis Obi’s comment particularly stood out as it was very insulting.
Osi’s annoyance with the tweet couldn’t be far from the ongoing strike declared by Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, with the Nigerian universities’ students staying at home since February 14th, 2022 and the fact that the VP allegedly deleted his first tweet due to negative comments.
“Why did you take down this tweet initially? Yeye prof that sits and watch all the universities on strike! You have dragged the labour of our hero’s past to the mud!” Osi exclaimed.
He didn’t stop there.
“The truth is so bitter to swallow.. didn’t he take down the tweet? Aren’t the universities on strike? Aren’t the labour of our hero’s past in vain?. Stop crying over a failed state because of tribalism, religion and selfish interest,” he dragged.
However, a closer observation of the deleted tweet and the one uploaded after indicated the reason it was deleted in the first place as noted by responses to his tweet.
“He is a VP for God’s sake. His job description is completely off all these and can’t he rearrange his tweet again?? But na wah o. Ignorance is truly not a bliss. Chaiii!!!!” Mayowa with Twitter handle @AlphaMayorNg wrote.
“Can’t you see he had to change the image of the lady (Ladi Kwali) at the top right. Hush!” disgusted BlackAlbino (@@myke_destiny) noted.
Not ready to let go, Osi wrote: I appreciate your observation. But what is left of our laboured past which these hero’s fought to uphold?
Many believed he should have apologised instead of carrying on.
“You should radar apologize for talking without reading, reading without understanding and looking without seeing …. Must you always vomit ????” Franklin (@Frankli65741423)
“Product of a failed state; When the state has failed, we are likely to see nuisance who fight to protect their masters like you are doing. It’s never your fault, do you know why? They have inflicted hunger on you, so when you are given bread you roar like a toothless lion,” Osi responded.
“Another watery submission. If fighting for your right means speaking in such manner to a father and personality you can never become then we need to polish your head ,flog your teacher and parents ..none of my kids can address their elder the way you did,” Franklin fired back.
Osi boasted that his daddy had impacted Nigeria more than all the past Nigerian heroes put together when asked why his father didn’t lead.
Ojelabi, the publisher of Freelanews, is an award winning and professionally trained mass communicator and a recipient of the D9112 Superstar Icon Award, who writes ruthlessly about pop culture, religion, politics and entertainment.
