By Pascal Oparada
Social Media in Nigeria went on meltdown again last week. Nigerians were either swooning or condemning, depending on which side they belong.
Lagos on lockdown
President Muhammadu Buhari came calling in Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial hub on Thursday, March 29, 2018, and the internet went overdrive over his visit. Not that Lagos residents loathe their president’s visit, but his visit subjected them to horrendous suffering, they said.
Beginning Wednesday, March 28, Lagos residents began to experience traffic gridlock as many left offices early. Many had problems accessing their various locations. Then on the day of the visit, traffic was diverted from major routes, prompting a lot of people to resort to trekking to their various destinations.
Those spoken to by TheNiche flayed Lagos State government for making their lives a living hell. Some expressed disappointment with President Buhari for allowing Nigerians suffer because of him.
Naomi Campbell and Buhari
During President Buhari’s visit to Lagos, he went on a tour of Eko Atlantic City where he met American Super Model and Actress, Naomi Campbell. Social media could not contain itself. From people calling Campbell ‘olosho’, meaning slut, to people berating Buhari for having ‘anything to do’ with her, social media was sharply divided.
Animals by Tolu Ogulesi
Following the outcry, or otherwise of President Buhari’s meeting with Campbell, Tolu Ogunlesi, one of Buhari’s social media handlers went on a Twitter tirade. He called Nigerians animals for daring to criticise Buhari over his meeting with Campbell.
Ogulesi tweeted: “Naomi Campbell met Nelson Mandela more than once. He hugged her, called her his “honorary granddaughter”. She visits Nigeria for a fashion festival and meets President @MBuhari, and some of you animals are slandering her. YOU’RE RAVING MAD WITH NOBODY TO TELL YOU.”
Ogunlesi later sent an apology and clarification, but many would have none of it.
He said: “I’d like to clarify. I would NEVER describe/think of Nigerians or those who disagree with me, as ‘animals’. My comment specific to those who thought it appropriate to denigrate/“slander” Naomi Campbell. The tweet should have been worded clearer & less provocatively. Lesson learnt.”
Campbell had met former Liberian warlord and president, Charles Taylor, where she was linked to ‘blood diamond’ from Sierra Leone given to her by Taylor.
She also met the late South African President, Nelson Mandela. Some people said Campbell is a gold digger, hence the outcry.
TheNiche has since confirmed that Campbell was in Nigeria for Arise Fashion Week and happened to run into Buhari at Eko Atlantic City.
Fake Martin Luther King Award to Buhari
On Monday, March 26, President Buhari was given National Black Excellence and Exceptional African Leadership Award 2018, purportedly by Martin Luther King’s family.
Nigerians saw the award as a scam and sent an inquiry to the King Centre in Atlanta, Georgia, the United States of America and the Centre responded and denied the award as coming from them.
It prompted Buhari’s aide on Diaspora Affairs, Abike Dabiri-Erewa to clarify that the award was not given by the King Centre as reported by the media.