| credits: Chukky Nawkky
Special
Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on Media and Publicity, Dr.
Reuben Abati; and a former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, over
the weekend engaged each other in a war of words.
Fani-Kayode had, in an article which
widely circulated online last week, described Jonathan as a “President
without balls.” He alleged in the article that “Nigeria has become an
abattoir of human flesh and blood under the tenure of President Goodluck
Ebele Jonathan; and all those who support him (Jonathan) should bury
their heads in shame.”
He added that the “greatest error, the
worst tragedy and misfortune” that Nigerians ever made is the fact that
“a meek lamb ended up taking a throne that was designed and prepared for
a lion.”
A particular friend of Abati on Twitter,
Femi Adeoya, had sought to know his (Abati’s) view on the article,
which became a trending topic on the social media.
In a tweet to Abati, Adeoya asked, “Sir,
Fani-Kayode did raise some issues about the President in the article.
Can you explain and address a few of them?”
Abati, in his response, dismissed both
the article and its writer and described Fani-Kayode as someone whose
views should not be taken seriously.
“Femi Fani-Kayode is a commentator without sense,” Abati stated in a Twitter post.
But Fani-Kayode, who many regard as one
of the most controversial Nigerians on social media, won’t let go
without a fight. He responded almost immediately on the micro-blogging
service, disparaging Abati as a “peasant.”
“Reuben Abati is a peasant without breeding,” he wrote on his Twitter page.
The bitter exchange of words by the duo
has divided the ranks of Nigerians on social media. While some lauded
Fani-Kayode for putting together the piece, which they described as
well-researched, insightful and fact-laden, others scolded him for
heating up the polity.
Supporters of Fani-Kayode argued that
though he appeared largely confrontational and audacious, the issues
raised in his article were, “sadly, true.”
A Twitter user, Godwin Adukwu, commended
Fani-Kayode for his piece, praising him for being bold enough to always
put the government of the day on check through his constant criticisms.
“Every king worth his salt must have the
spirit of the lion and the warrior in him to a certain extent. Whether
you are a king or a subject, courage is the greatest of all the virtues.
Would someone please tell our President?” Adukwu wrote.
Some agreed that there were some issues
in the article that demanded clarification from the Presidency. One
Lanre Ankinwumi, in a tweet to Abati wrote, “What Fani-Kayode said is
the thought of many Nigerians. Even the blind knows when he is hungry.
Almost all units of the education sector, some in the health sector, the
Corporate Affairs Commission, etc., are all on strike, and President
Jonathan and his cohorts still think they are right? Boko Haram forces
1,000 teachers to flee, 50 schools burnt, 60 schools forced to close and
we say Boko Haram is not winning.”
Justifying his support for Fani-Kayode
over the article which stirred up a hornet’s nest, another Twitter user,
Shina Abdulfatah, said Abati would have put pen to paper and write a
scathing article of such magnitude if he hadn’t taken up an appointment
in the Presidency.
Abdulfatah stated, “When people trade
money for honour, we have a case of a man who was on the side of the
truth before he got a job at Aso Rock. The rest is history. I’m sure if
Abati hasn’t gotten any appointment by now, he would be at the forefront
of people writing articles on Jonathan’s failures.
“Fani-Kayode’s article finished Jonathan
and his cocoons. Jonathan doesn’t have balls indeed! Instead of Abati
to call his boss and advise him, he is subbing Fani-Kayode here on
Twitter. Is that your job?”
But, those who pitched their tent with
Abati said he shouldn’t have dignified Fani-Kayode with a response, as
doing so amounted to dignifying “nonsense.”
One of Abati’s social media admirers,
Boatman Eldy, wrote on Twitter that Abati should not allow name-calling
to be his forte, as such could have a dent on his credentials.
Commenting on Twitter, Eldy said, “Sir, I
will appreciate it that you concentrate on important national
assignments and leave that man described as Femi Fani-Kayode alone.
“It is only people who are sick in the
head that see reason with what he (Fani-Kayode) says. Fani-Kayode should
know for sure that Abati is above his standards. Fani-Kayode should
tell us what he has actually accomplished in life rather than
controversy?”
A Facebook user, John Mathew-Edekin, accused Fani-Kayode of taking pride in bringing people down.
He wrote, “You (Fani-Kayode) will be
more confused than he (Jonathan) appears if you are in his position. You
seem to take pleasure in bringing people down for selfish purposes
rather than engage in constructive criticism that can move the nation
forward. It’s high time we started placing national interest before
personal, ethnic, religious and political interest.”
Yet, some Nigerians on social media
appear to be neither here nor there. Those who belonged to this category
were of the opinion that the war of words between the two was needless.
They argued that adult conversations
needed to be more productive, such that people of their social standing
respond to issues with intelligence and mature clarification, especially
on the social media space.
“See what governance has become! Jokes and foolishness in high places. How unfortunate!” Omolara Olusaiye lamented on Twitter.
Kunle Afolayan said, “To think we are
still mourning the tragic plane crash and 71 murdered students, yet the
best coming out of these men is emptiness, instead of setting a better
example.
“You will rather fight in the mud
shamelessly. You are visionless men. This Twitter fight showcases the
exact state of mind of our leaders.”
0 Comments