A video circulating online, which captured the moment popular actor, Desmond Elliot, spoke on the recent events in the country during a plenary session held by the Lagos state House of Assembly, has drew the ire of young Nigerians.
In the video making the rounds, the lawmaker, who is representing Surulere constituency, was seen calling on the speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly to “address certain things” like “the Nigerian youth, the social media, the social influencers.”
The actor said;
“Mr. Speaker, we need to address certain things. The Nigerian Youth, The Social Media, The Social Influencers, All of these are making the narrative that we are seeing today, except we are joking with ourselves. Social media is good but it has Negative impacts.
Let me thank you for condemning the killings and carnage that happened at Lekki. When i went through the comments i could not believe it Mr. Speaker, the curses, the abuses from children and i ask myself, is this Nigeria ? What is going on?
Children cursing, people having the effrontery to enter an Oba’s palace, hold the staff of office ? Culture is gone. Mr. Speaker, in the next 5 years, there will be no Nigeria if we don’t act now.
The youth is not only those who do the peaceful protest, those who have looted and destroyed lives are youths as well.
Go to the elections, if you are tired come and enter government. People are dying. The narrative must change.”
Watch.
Though Elliot had denied claims that he sponsored a bill to regulate speech on social media after he was dragged by web users, the denial seemed to have fueled more anger as most Nigerians didn’t hold back in attacking him.
While many expressed disappointment at him and accused him of ruining their childhood memories watching his movies and being his fans, others went all out abusing him.
A user with an Instagram handle @tina_stephen wrote:
God will punish you mr law maker, y’all will never find peace in this country
Another one, @adesokanadekunleabiodun wrote:
Mad boy Desmond Elliot calling us children , are you that old ? 46 years isn’t it ?
As at the time of publishing this, young Nigerians continued to insult or drag the lawmaker for now ‘being one of them.’
Elliot was elected as a lawmaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Surulere Constituency, during the April 11, 2015 general elections.
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