VDM, Blord exchange online blows over price of iPhones, other gadgets
By Habiba Kaita
The heated feud between Nigerian tech entrepreneur Linus Williams Ifejirika popularly known as Blord, and social media critic Martins Vincent Otse who goes by the nickname VeryDarkMan, has continued to dominate social media, sparking wider debate over truth, ethics, and influence in Nigeria’s online business space.
The dispute began after Blord advertised what he called an “iPhone XR converted to iPhone 17 Pro Max”, sold for about ₦450,000. The claim immediately drew public attention after VeryDarkMan accused Blord of misleading Nigerians by selling refurbished phones at inflated prices.
He described the practice as fraudulent and warned Nigerians to stop patronizing what he called “fake luxury.”
VeryDarkMan claimed that the origin of the devices are from factories in China where older iPhones are repackaged and resold. He called Blord’s marketing tactics deceptive and urged Nigerians to be cautious when buying gadgets from online vendors.
In response, Blord denied all wrongdoing, calling VeryDarkMan’s allegations baseless and malicious. He insisted that his business is legitimate and accused VeryDarkMan of using his platform to attack successful people for attention.
The disagreement soon moved beyond business matters when private clips allegedly involving VeryDarkMan surfaced online.
Blord was accused of offering ₦500,000 to obtain those clips, a claim he has not confirmed. VDM hit back, saying Blord was trying to divert public focus from his questionable business practices.
Adding to the tension, third-party commentators have now entered the conversation. One of them, Michael Chux Enuneku, known online as Mister Chux, who criticized both Blord and VDM, describing them as “scammers preying on the public’s trust.”
In his recent Instagram videos, Mister Chux argued that neither men is innocent, accusing them of “using drama to make money off Nigerians” and “playing with people’s emotions for clout.”
As of now, neither Blord nor VeryDarkMan has issued a formal apology or taken legal action, but many observers believe the controversy is far from over and the public remains sharply divided.
Users on X (Twitter) shared their thoughts on the situation. Some believe VeryDarkMan is doing a public service by exposing unfair trading practices while others see his methods as excessive and damaging. Meanwhile, Blord’s supporters insist that he is honest about his sales and that critics are simply envious of his success.
User @iamFmajor criticized both men, writing that “two adults, one internet, zero sense. Both B-Lord and VDM moving like kids in a WhatsApp group. You can’t claim to be influential and still act this unserious. Both of you just proved clout.”
Another user, @pararepublick, questioned VDM’s public image, noting that “so you people actually believe VDM is immaterialistic? As in, he doesn’t do things for money? Una dull oh.”
Commenting on the potential fallout, @truthandbanter observed that “Blord has more to lose. He is a businessman.”
Some users also discussed the risks of the gadget business. @stylez_ric pointed out that “Nigerians love to buy cheap, but once their phone develops a fault, they forget they got it cheap and expect a quick fix. If your skin no full, don’t enter gadget business.”
Meanwhile, @Thetimted defended Blord’s right to set his own prices, arguing that “this VDM is not making any sense. Blord decided to sell his modified iPhone 17 Pro Max for ₦450,000 and I can decide to sell mine for ₦750,000 — how’s that a problem? He never said it’s a real iPhone 17 Pro Max, so why is VDM ranting?”
The ongoing feud has caused for concerns about factors like consumer protection, regulations for online businesses, and privacy in Nigeria. Many Nigerians are calling for authorities to step in and investigate both claims.
