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 WHO SHOULD BE APOLOGIZING TO WHO? A REFLECTION ON VDM, AKPABIO, AND THE STATE OF NIGERIA


By Daniel Okonkwo


In a democratic society, the right to freedom of speech must be sacred and protected. The recent call by the South-South Zonal chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for popular social media activist, Martins Vincent Otse, widely known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), to apologize to the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, demands closer examination. VDM has been given a one-week ultimatum to tender an apology for what the APC termed "disparaging remarks" in one of his latest videos. But one must pause and ask: Why should VDM apologize, and for what exactly?


The doctrine of equity teaches that "he who comes to equity must come with clean hands." Anyone seeking redress must be free of any wrongdoing themselves. In this context, before demanding an apology, it is worth evaluating: Who truly owes an apology—VDM to Akpabio or Nigeria’s political leaders to the citizens?


VDM’s so-called offense lies in his forthright criticism: he questioned why the Senate President chose to lead a five-man Federal Government delegation to the Vatican for the funeral of Pope Francis, while violent crises continue to ravage states like Benue, Plateau, Kwara, Ogun, and Enugu back home. It is important to note that Akpabio’s participation in the Vatican event was at the discretion of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who considered him a worthy representative of Nigeria, citing his "impeccable character" and devout Catholic faith.


However, no one is arguing that representing Nigeria abroad is inherently wrong. The issue at stake is priority. When insecurity claims the lives of Nigerians daily, should a leader’s presence not be felt within the homeland, bringing hope, leadership, and urgent attention to affected communities?


Since his emergence in social media, VeryDarkMan has become an invigorating, fearless enthusiast for justice, fighting injustice that many have shied away from. While some label him an enemy of society, cultivating hate and emboldening intolerance, many others encourage his zeal.


Thus, the pressing question remains: Who should be apologizing to who?


Should it be VDM, who has highlighted real concerns rooted in patriotism, empathy, and truth?

Or should it be the political class that has overseen a Nigeria where:


The naira plummeted from ₦350 to ₦1,600 to a dollar within two years;


A bag of local rice skyrocketed from ₦25,000 to ₦90,000–₦100,000;


A liter of petrol rose from ₦200 to nearly ₦1,000;


Millions of Nigerians have been forced to reduce their meals to just one a day;


Electricity tariffs have worsened, with ₦1,000 now buying less than 4 units of electricity compared to 18 units previously.


Any intelligent and honest politician should know that they owe Nigerians an apology for steering the nation into such a precarious and painful situation.


Furthermore, in Nigeria today, a significant portion of the population continues to experience severe insecurity. According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), over 600,000 deaths were recorded from insecurity between May 2023 and April 2024. In addition, the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning reported that over 31.8 million Nigerians are currently facing acute food insecurity. Between 2019 and 2022, 69.7% of Nigerians experienced moderate or severe food insecurity, and globally, a majority of people now report feeling insecure.


How can a government watch millions starving and thousands dying of insecurities demand for an apology from a citizen exercising his right to question leadership priorities?


While VDM is criticized by some, it is undeniable that he has done more for marginalized communities than many politicians. He has personally dug boreholes for villages without drinking water—acts of direct community impact that stand in stark contrast to the gross neglect shown by many elected representatives.


The real scandal lies not in VDM's fearless critiques but in the shameful failure of leadership to attend to urgent needs. How many politicians have visited crisis-ridden states like Plateau, Kwara, Ogun, Enugu, and Ebonyi and the northern parts of Nigeria to provide solace, support, and solidarity to grieving and suffering citizens?


The strength of a democracy lies in its ability to tolerate, protect, and even celebrate voices of dissent—voices that call out injustice and demand better governance. Freedom of speech must be preserved, not criminalized or suppressed.


Ultimately, the question is not whether VDM should apologize but whether Nigerian leaders will ever summon the courage and humility to apologize to the Nigerian people—for broken promises, the steep decline in living conditions, economic mismanagement, insecurity, and lost opportunities.


Who, indeed, should be apologizing to who?

WHO SHOULD BE APOLOGIZING TO WHO? A REFLECTION ON VDM, AKPABIO, AND THE STATE OF NIGERIA

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