Why Nigerians love/dislike VDM: Voices from the streets

Born Martins Otse, popular social media activist, VeryDarkMan (VDM) is unarguably the most talked about Nigerian youth at the moment. His popularity grew with his doggedness and charisma, with which he won the Nigerian youths over.

What started as a campaign against fake body creams transformed into a debt-recovery platform and grew to become a podium that speaks to power, all to the delight of torrent of Nigerian youths.

He was able to warm his way into the hearts of Nigerians, which won him the appelation, “The President of the Ratels”. Ratels, who coined their name from the honey badgers, a type of weasel found in Africa and parts of Asia, did so because of the muscular build, thick skin, and fearless nature of their leader, VeryDarkMan.

Speaking to THISNIGERIA, some Ratel members revealed why they grew fond of their leader. To them, VeryDarkMan brings their thoughts and plans, which were buried under the rubble of fear of unknown, to actualisation.

One of the Ratel members who spoke to THISNIGERIA, a videographer, photographer and music producer, Yomi Wonderful, praised VeryDarkMan for not just wishing for a better Nigeria, but working towards it.

Wonderful said, “All I know is that he’s doing what many of us want to do but not bold enough to do.
Such as saying the truth to higher authorities, standing up for the oppressed and the less privileged. We all want a better Nigeria and he’s doing it and following it up.”

For Olushola Badmus, an Ogun-based engineer, VeryDarkMan is accountable and selfless to a fault.

“If VeryDarkMan was a corrupt man, they would have nailed him since. Whatever makes you a bug in the skin of Nigerian politicians, yet they are these helpless shows that you’re upright. If he had tampered with the NGO money in his care, that was where his woe would have started from. But till today, they are unable to get a single reason to castigate him,” were the words of Badmus.

Omolola Olugbemi described VeryDarkMan as the Nigerian messiah. She maintained that her love for the blogger increased when she saw the bank balance of his mother, saying he didn’t enrich himself or his family members with the NGO fund in his care.

Her words, “When the GTB saga made people see the banking activities in the account of Mama Black (VeryDarkMan’s mother), some of his haters started mocking him that he was dashing out money but his mother’s account balance is low. What they didn’t realize is that the mindset is exactly what has kept this country and continent backward and it is what VeryDarkMan lives to fight against. Public funds are not meant to enrich yourself or your loved ones. I respect him more for that.”

“VeryDarkMan’s haters are people who benefit from the corruption in this country. To break it down, it is either they are corrupt politicians, spouses or children of these politicians, their supporters who spend from the evil money they make off the country, people who run illegal businesses, people who bully others. No well-meaning Nigerian can dislike VeryDarkMan, only those who feel attacked by his activism.”

Mangoh Donald Mankwa commended VeryDarkMan for the role he played in the arrest and prosecution of controversial crossdresser, Idris Okuneye, popularly known as Bobrisky.

He said, “If not for VDM, Bobrisky would have corrupted more Nigerian youths, but with the way VDM took the case up, he was able to systematically silence him. Did you see that the trend was growing rapidly in Nigeria, with Bobrisky as the face of crossdressing in Nigeria but the moment he was prosecuted, his mentees started thinking right again.”

Reminded that Bobrisky was prosecuted for defacing the naira and not for cross-dressing, Mankwa replied, “You think it matters? All that they know is that Bobrisky was jailed and that alone put fear in them”.

While the activist enjoys the goodwill of some Nigerians, others have also condemned him, particularly, the activities that led to his arrest and continuous detention by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Some of his critics believe that the blogger is a mole used to distract young Nigerians from demanding good governance from the government. Another set insisted that the activist indicted himself.

Sydney Icon said, “VDM is a mole, he supported the army massacre in Okuoma and twisted the policewoman whistle-blower case. He demobilised people from the #EndBadGovernance protest but he is a good debt recovery agent from celebrity oppressors. He’s an online activist working for the establishment. But let’s not support violent arrest and unnecessary detention.”

Gens Bechem maintained that the blogger is facing the consequences of his incessant unguarded speeches in the past.

Bechem said, “I’ve watched multiple videos of him insulting the EFCC, and he even claimed they couldn’t arrest him, falsely stating that the case against him had been dismissed. However, it seems he’s now facing consequences for his actions, and it’s possible he might not be released anytime soon, but I pray for him though and never to stand against a woman of God Mercy Chinwo again.”

“Let’s allow law enforcement agencies to do their work, if EFCC arrested VDM then he must have done something wrong and should be investigated and if found guilty must be punished according to law. Let’s stop being emotional and be objective that’s it,” Salisu Jauro said.