
Martin Otse, a prominent social media critic known as VeryDarkMan, has sharply criticized Folashade Tinubu, daughter of President Bola Tinubu, for her recent remarks urging Nigerians to give her father three years to demonstrate his governance.
Folashade, who holds the title of Iyaloja General of Nigeria, had recently called for patience from Nigerians and advised parents to discourage their children from participating in the planned hunger protests scheduled for August 1 to 10.
In a video response posted on Monday, VeryDarkMan expressed strong disapproval of Folashade’s statements. He argued that the public should not be expected to remain silent while the administration exacerbates economic difficulties. He urged Folashade to persuade her father to address the mounting economic issues rather than asking for more time.
“Did you realize that people would not be complaining if your father did not have the worst first year in office in Nigeria’s history?” Otse said. “Warn your father about the suffering Nigerians are experiencing. Did you warn him when he protested against Goodluck Jonathan for increasing fuel prices from N65 to N87?”
Otse criticized the sharp increase in fuel prices under President Tinubu’s administration, which has risen from N185 to over N700. He also pointed out the ongoing fuel shortages and long queues at gas stations.
“The price of fuel has skyrocketed, and it’s still not available. You can’t increase prices and then have the products remain unavailable,” he added. He called for peaceful protests to stand against what he views as government failures but condemned any violent actions.
Under President Tinubu’s administration, which began on May 29, 2023, significant economic changes have been implemented. These include the removal of fuel subsidies and the floating of the naira, which has led to its devaluation against the dollar. The naira now trades between N1,200 and N1,500 to the dollar, causing widespread economic instability and pushing many Nigerians further into poverty.
The drastic economic reforms have led to widespread calls for demonstrations, supported by opposition figures such as Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party and Peter Obi of the Labour Party.