Nigerian author and social media influencer, Reno Omokri has taken a swipe at the former Minister of Education and BBOG convener, Obiageli Ezekwesili, prominent politicians and celebrities for not speaking up about the insecurity in the South East region of the country.
Omokri wondered the reason celebrities and politicians who were so focused on Lagos during the 2023 gubernatorial election are now so quiet over the forced sit-at-homes paralysing economic and social activities in the South East.
He also called out Nigerians who defended the fraudulent act of Anambra student, Mmesoma Ejikeme, for failing to condemn the activities of different non-state actors in the South East region of the country.
Omokri added that those who spoke up during the last presidential election have remained quiet as sit-at-home enforcers punished schoolchildren for going to school and dealt with market women for going about their lawful businesses.
He wrote: “How come all the prominent celebrities and politicians who were so focused on Lagos during the last gubernatorial elections are now so quiet over the growing insecurity in the Southeast and the forced sit-at-homes paralysing economic and social activities in the region? Where are the loud voices that defended the fraudulent act of Mmesoma Ejikeme?
“How come those who spoke up during the #NigerianElections2023 remain quiet as different non-state actors punish schoolchildren for going to school and deal with market women for going about their lawful businesses?
“If these sit-at-homes are popular in the region, why would they need to be enforced? We had sit-at-homes called by the late Dr Beko Kuti’s Campaign for Democracy in Lagos during the Abacha regime, and nobody enforced them. Lagosians willingly stayed at home because they supported that act of civil disobedience against a brutal dictator.
“Where are Oby Ezekwesili and others who led the chant against Lagosians? Were they this taciturn when Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour declared himself the incoming governor of Lagos? Or when Lagos wanted to demolish structurally deficient buildings at Alaba? Or when the Lagos State House of Assembly mooted the idea of laws protecting indigenous Lagosians?
“Where have your voices gone? Or do you endorse what is currently happening in the South East?
“It is so bad that Southeast leaders are meeting in Abuja to discuss insecurity in their region. They could not meet in the Southeast. Have you ever heard that Southwest leaders met in Abuja over conditions in the Southwest?”