₦airaland Forum

WizardOfNG:
Yes I believe it was done to damage the credibility of the GEJ Government home and abroad.

Then you are saying Tinubu is not innocent regarding the Chibok girls kidnaping, right?!

CharlesCNG:
Hmm... hopefully.

But unfortunately, the whole thing is beginning to look like a political gig, and that is deeply troubling.

This is precisely what some of us fear VDM is turning it into — content creation, grandstanding and performative activism.

There is a difference between demanding accountability and making yourself the centre of the story.

The kidnapped children should be the focus, not the influencer.

Families need results, not reels.

They need rescue, not rhetoric.

Activism is not a movie set, and national tragedies are not opportunities for personal branding.

Makinde too should resist the temptation of dramatic sound bites and concentrate on delivering results.

This is not the time for political theatre.

Children are in captivity.

The cameras can wait.

Gbamsolutely

expert234:
Then you are saying Tinubu is not innocent regarding the Chibok girls kidnaping, right?!

What does Tinubu have to do with it? Being a member of the APC makes him complicit in the Chibok girls kidnapping?

Was Tinubu also the one who told El Rufai to pay Fulanis to stop killing in Kaduna?

Was it Tinubu, rather than Kawu Baraje, who confessed they imported Fulanis to win 2015 election. Stop trying to implicate Tinubu in what he is not associated with.

We all remember the 2015 elections..Yorubas like Fashola, Amosun, Osinbajo and even Tinubu were busy being the eloquent interface with the world trying to make Buhari APC President.

They were meeting David Cameron, Tony Blair, John Kerry etc. Whatever others did in the APC is on them not on Tinubu because him and the Yorubas played politics as it should be done i.e raising funds, meeting global leaders to explain the plans of the APC, leading public campaigns etc, etc.

That's an insult on the people of Chibok

These stoopid governors are just give this riff raff VDM or whatever relevance

Na only noise them sabi. Enter bush and rescue them, No! After a month, you come out making noise

Including the other one that is still waiting for FG approval before they can chase bandits from south west.

Always making noise, no action

donself9:
🤣 Big shame, you sound educated buh look what sycophancy as reduced you to, protest from military HQ, across states to Governor office is emotional choreography

I have a friend he is a lawyer, Apc card carrying member, in the desperation to always defend Tinubu all time, even his wife na look at him n shake head

Graduated with 2'1 in law, buh when is defending Tinubu i feel like crying for him ...why reduce yourself so low mentally

What strikes me most about your response is that you have carefully avoided addressing the substance of my argument.

Instead, you have given us stories about your lawyer friend, his wife shaking her head, my supposed sycophancy, and an emotional appeal to shame.

Interesting.

Tell me, how exactly do these anecdotes refute the point I made?

You say I "sound educated." Thank you. Education teaches one to attack arguments, not personalities.

The irony is that while accusing me of emotional blindness, your entire response is built on emotion, ridicule and second-hand stories.

You ask why I reduce myself so low.

I ask: why reduce debate to gossip?

You are free to disagree with me. But disagreement is not evidence of sycophancy. If supporting a position with arguments is sycophancy, then opposing it with insults is hardly intellectualism.

Perhaps your lawyer friend deserves sympathy.

But I prefer arguments to anecdotes and facts to feelings.

After all, a man who cannot answer a point often settles for attacking the person making it.

That may impress a crowd. It does not win a debate.

VeeVeeMyLuv:
Then why will they attack and kill those innocent teachers and pupils?

It is better if the politicians directs the politics of blood on themselves, on each other instead of descending on these innocent poor hapless people that have absolutely nothing to do with their bloody politics.

Exactly.

That is precisely why I said the cameras can wait.

These teachers and pupils are not political actors. They are innocent victims.

Whether one believes politics played a role or not, the last thing we should do is turn their suffering into content, political theatre or a battle for moral superiority.

My point is simple: the focus should be on the victims, their families and their rescue.

Not on VDM.

Not on Makinde.

Not on who gets applause on social media.

Children are in captivity.

Everything else is secondary.

geoworldedu:


When Tinubu was asking for bringing back girls sometimes ago, it was not politics then abi? E reach Una turn e turn politics. Mtchew.

Thank you for proving my point.

So this is now a political tit-for-tat?

"Your side did it, therefore our side should do it too."

Interesting.

In other words, the kidnapped pupils and teachers have become instruments in a partisan revenge game.

That is precisely what I call blood politics.

My criticism of VDM and Makinde is not that they are demanding accountability. It is that a national tragedy is being transformed into content, grandstanding and political theatre.

And your response confirms it.

Instead of asking, "How do we rescue these children?" the question has become, "How do we get back at Tinubu supporters?"

Sorry, but innocent children are not pawns in a political chess match.

Two wrongs do not make a right.

And if your defence is, "Tinubu people did it before," then you have already abandoned principle for partisanship.

The children deserve better than that.

As hi children, he will wait till DATE.








Mouth mouth mouth ONLY

JimD:
Go and create your own content too as long as government is pressured and those kids get rescued. Most of you can't even think critically again because of ChatGPT. Those creating stupid content and skits, dulling your ability to reason are there.

But someone who's actually trying to get the government to listen up is the one creating content.

Everything you wrote self is AI. Can't form your own sentences. Abeg getat.

Interesting.

So now AI is the issue because you cannot answer the argument?

First, demanding accountability is not the same thing as making yourself the centre of the tragedy. Nobody said pressure should not be applied. The question is whether activism should become performance art.

Second, if "as long as the government is pressured" is the standard, then by that logic every content creator, skit maker and attention seeker should insert themselves into every national tragedy. I disagree.

Third, thank you for the unsolicited career advice. But whether I write with a pen, a typewriter or AI is irrelevant. Arguments are judged by their substance, not by the tools used to express them.

Isaac Newton used a pen. You use a smartphone. Should we conclude that you cannot think?

And finally, I find it amusing that a man who cannot answer my points has resorted to attacking my sentence construction.

Apparently, when the argument becomes uncomfortable, ChatGPT becomes the culprit.

The children are still in captivity.

And somehow, you have managed to make this about me.

Which, ironically, was exactly my criticism of VDM in the first place. 😂

Talk is cheap..Its over 4 weeks now

WizardOfNG:
What does Tinubu have to do with it? Being a member of the APC makes him complicit in the Chibok girls kidnapping?

Was Tinubu also the one who told El Rufai to pay Fulanis to stop killing in Kaduna?

Was it Tinubu, rather than Kawu Baraje, who confessed they imported Fulanis to win 2015 election. Stop trying to implicate Tinubu in what he is not associated with.

We all remember the 2015 elections..Yorubas like Fashola, Amosun, Osinbajo and even Tinubu were busy being the eloquent interface with the world trying to make Buhari APC President.

They were meeting David Cameron, Tony Blair, John Kerry etc. Whatever others did in the APC is on them not on Tinubu because him and the Yorubas played politics as it should be done i.e raising funds, meeting global leaders to explain the plans of the APC, leading public campaigns etc, etc.

Can you swear with your destiny and those of your entire family that Tinubu wasn't in the know of how the Chibok girls kidnaping occured?!

CharlesCNG:
Interesting.

So now AI is the issue because you cannot answer the argument?

First, demanding accountability is not the same thing as making yourself the centre of the tragedy. Nobody said pressure should not be applied. The question is whether activism should become performance art.

Second, if "as long as the government is pressured" is the standard, then by that logic every content creator, skit maker and attention seeker should insert themselves into every national tragedy. I disagree.

Third, thank you for the unsolicited career advice. But whether I write with a pen, a typewriter or AI is irrelevant. Arguments are judged by their substance, not by the tools used to express them.

Isaac Newton used a pen. You use a smartphone. Should we conclude that you cannot think?

And finally, I find it amusing that a man who cannot answer my points has resorted to attacking my sentence construction.

Apparently, when the argument becomes uncomfortable, ChatGPT becomes the culprit.

The children are still in captivity.

And somehow, you have managed to make this about me.

Which, ironically, was exactly my criticism of VDM in the first place. 😂

Oga get lost. You have nothing to contribute. Let those that have substance contribute.

expert234:
Can you swear with your destiny and those of your entire family that Tinubu wasn't in the know of how the Chibok girls kidnaping occured?!

Can you swear with your life he was in the know about it?

JimD:
Oga get lost. You have nothing to contribute. Let those that have substance contribute.

And yet here you are, contributing insults because substance apparently took the day off!

CharlesCNG:
# Oyo Is Not Chibok — But Children Are Not Political Props

The Oyo kidnapping is too serious for political theatre.

VDM has every right to speak, protest and demand action. But when grief becomes content and tragedy becomes stagecraft, we must ask hard questions.

Is the goal rescue, or relevance?

Is the aim pressure, or performance?

Because abducted children are not campaign material.

Makinde too must be careful. Saying “Oyo is not Chibok” may sound bold, but families do not need slogans. They need results, coordination, intelligence, rescue and communication.



Not activists.

Not politicians.

Not media influencers.

The facts are painful: armed men attacked schools in Oriire LGA on May 15, and reports say dozens of pupils, students and teachers were abducted. ICIR reported 46 victims; Vanguard reported Makinde’s vow that Oyo would not become Chibok.

So let us be clear.

Hold government accountable.

Demand urgent rescue.

Question security failures.

But stop converting abducted children into political currency.

Nigeria needs sober action, not emotional choreography.

I just like the way Asiwaju is handling it. The minister of defence has provided men and equipments to ensure those bandits do not leave the forest while the Governor is expected to be in the forefront of getting the learners released. Everything internal security blame shouldn't go to the PRESIDENT. State Governors should secure their states.

Sey na Una de support populist and capitalist and socialist.....when Una ready fight battle everybody will rise without being told

donself9:
you are tew many kidnap incident, You can focus on the one that look like Academic gig or entertainment gig

no shame, dey we sha see something to say

CharlesCNG:
Hmm... hopefully.

But unfortunately, the whole thing is beginning to look like a political gig, and that is deeply troubling.

This is precisely what some of us fear VDM is turning it into — content creation, grandstanding and performative activism.

There is a difference between demanding accountability and making yourself the centre of the story.

The kidnapped children should be the focus, not the influencer.

Families need results, not reels.

They need rescue, not rhetoric.

Activism is not a movie set, and national tragedies are not opportunities for personal branding.

Makinde too should resist the temptation of dramatic sound bites and concentrate on delivering results.

This is not the time for political theatre.

Children are in captivity.

The cameras can wait.

So what exactly have you done yourself on the activism stage to proclaim this epistle of yours to whom it may concern?

VDM has played and still playing his part as a concerned citizen.
Pray a greater misfortune of that magnitude never befall you or any of your loved ones.

Yeye dey smell

charlieLegend:
So what exactly have you done yourself on the activism stage to proclaim this epistle of yours to whom it may concern?

VDM has played and still playing his part as a concerned citizen.
Pray a greater misfortune of that magnitude never befall you or any of your loved ones.

Yeye dey smell

Interesting.

So according to your logic, unless one is a social media influencer or an activist, one forfeits the right to question methods and motives?

By that standard, citizens cannot criticize politicians unless they have first become governors.

What a strange theory.

I never said VDM should not play his part. I said the kidnapped children should remain the centre of the story, not the storyteller.

Apparently, that distinction escaped you.

As for your emotional blackmail about misfortune, thank you for the prayer. I sincerely hope no such tragedy befalls anyone.

But it says a lot that when confronted with an argument, you resort to abuse, curses and "yeye dey smell."

By the way, "yeye dey smell" is not a rebuttal. It is merely body odour masquerading as logic. 😁

The children are still in captivity.

And somehow, you have managed to make the debate about me and VDM.

Which, ironically, was exactly my point.

Families need results, not reels.

Victims need rescue, not fandom.

WizardOfNG:
Can you swear with your life he was in the know about it?

I asked first. Answer, then I'll answer.

All those deceptive tactics won't work here

damoobaba:
I just like the way Asiwaju is handling it. The minister of defence has provided men and equipments to ensure those bandits do not leave the forest while the Governor is expected to be in the forefront of getting the learners released. Everything internal security blame shouldn't go to the PRESIDENT. State Governors should secure their states.

Exactly my point.

People like VDM jumped straight into grandstanding without first asking the most basic question: what has government already done?

From what is being reported, the Minister of Defence has deployed men and equipment, the security forces are working to prevent the kidnappers from escaping the forest, and the Governor is expected to lead the local coordination for the pupils’ release.

This is not as simple as shouting “storm the forest.”

When abducted children are being used as human shields, the operation must be careful, controlled and intelligence-led. One reckless move can endanger the very children everyone claims to be fighting for.

That is why performative activism is dangerous. It turns a delicate rescue operation into a popularity contest.

Yes, government must be held accountable.

But accountability without understanding becomes noise.

The priority is rescue, not reels.

CharlesCNG:
What strikes me most about your response is that you have carefully avoided addressing the substance of my argument.

Instead, you have given us stories about your lawyer friend, his wife shaking her head, my supposed sycophancy, and an emotional appeal to shame.

Interesting.

Tell me, how exactly do these anecdotes refute the point I made?

You say I "sound educated." Thank you. Education teaches one to attack arguments, not personalities.

The irony is that while accusing me of emotional blindness, your entire response is built on emotion, ridicule and second-hand stories.

You ask why I reduce myself so low.

I ask: why reduce debate to gossip?

You are free to disagree with me. But disagreement is not evidence of sycophancy. If supporting a position with arguments is sycophancy, then opposing it with insults is hardly intellectualism.

Perhaps your lawyer friend deserves sympathy.

But I prefer arguments to anecdotes and facts to feelings.

After all, a man who cannot answer a point often settles for attacking the person making it.

That may impress a crowd. It does not win a debate.

Bro ! You can't gaslight me with "its All emotion" ... We are talking about children here we are talking 2yrs, under age kids living & sleeping in an open forest .. The imagination alone triggers " Emotion" except you are a beeast

When you raised point to discredit the agitation and protest by saying people are doing theatre/content, we suppose question your mental state

i am struggling to see any valid point you raise to debate you on,
OYO is not chibok , thats an empirical fact,
you feel the protest is " content/theatrics becos it all over the internet or becos the Governor stood in the midst of protesters unarmed to address their worries and reassure them

Which one are you angry about exactly !

Was Endsars also content to you, we posted online, and in ibadan then Seyi makinde also came out to show solidarity with the youths on the street ... So nothing you see now that we have not seen before both on Seyi and VDM side

Why you think it is for content creation is what i can't fathom, how did we do chibok gurlz protest in ojota nd how this one take look political or fake

I am struggling to make sense of your accusations, its not just adding up

expert234:
I asked first. Answer, then I'll answer.

All those deceptive tactics won't work here

Yes of course I can swear Tinubu was not involved in the plot to kidnap the Chibok girls.

CharlesCNG:
Hmm... hopefully.

But unfortunately, the whole thing is beginning to look like a political gig, and that is deeply troubling.

This is precisely what some of us fear VDM is turning it into — content creation, grandstanding and performative activism.

There is a difference between demanding accountability and making yourself the centre of the story.

The kidnapped children should be the focus, not the influencer.

Families need results, not reels.

They need rescue, not rhetoric.

Activism is not a movie set, and national tragedies are not opportunities for personal branding.

Makinde too should resist the temptation of dramatic sound bites and concentrate on delivering results.

This is not the time for political theatre.

Children are in captivity.

The cameras can wait.

Absolutely. You have said it all. There are simple and consistent rules to life.

I won't go into details but even a cursory look into VDM's life, activities and controversies confirms what is obvious that folks who think critically can discern immediately.

Simply brilliant you mention performative activism. That is what VDM is about. Essentially glorified virtue signalling for financial and attention-seeking profit.

As sad as it is to admit, a lot of Nigerians, for want of a better word, are very 'simple' and easy to con. Many know this and cynically take advantage of that reality.

WizardOfNG:
It is 💯%. Designed to damage the political standing of Tinubu approaching the January election.

Isn't that the same tactics that brought APC and Tinubu to power? Brother, these useless politicians are all the same: liars, thieves and killers. We should stop supporting any of them based on tribe

WizardOfNG:
Absolutely. You have said it all. There are simple and consistent rules to life.

I won't go into details but even a cursory look into VDM's life, activities and controversies confirms what is obvious that folks who think critically can discern immediately.

Simply brilliant you mention performative activism. That is what VDM is about. Essentially glorified virtue signalling for financial and attention-seeking profit.

As sad as it is to admit, a lot of Nigerians, for want of a better word, are very 'simple' and easy to con. Many know this and cynically take advantage of that reality.

I agree with you completely.

VDM's pattern is not difficult to read. It is activism as spectacle: loud outrage, public drama, moral posturing and constant self-positioning at the centre of every issue.

What he practices is what political scientists and social commentators increasingly describe as performative activism — activism that derives its energy less from outcomes and more from visibility, applause and monetised outrage.

Real activism focuses on victims, solutions and pressure applied with discipline and strategic thinking.

Performative activism focuses on cameras, followers, emotional manipulation and the cultivation of a personal brand.

And yes, i agree with you again: many Nigerians are easily moved by noise because anger often masquerades as courage to the undiscerning.

That is why some mistake virality for virtue and emotional theatre for leadership.

The danger is that serious national tragedies become raw material for personal branding and political score-settling.

Which brings me to another disturbing aspect of this whole episode. There are people using the plight of these children as a form of political payback for Chibok and other tragedies of years gone by.

That is blood politics.

Children should not become instruments for settling partisan scores.

Their suffering should not be exploited to avenge yesterday's arguments.

That is why we must keep repeating the obvious:

The children need rescue, not reels.

They need safety, not spectacle.

They need compassion, not content.

And they certainly do not deserve to become props in a political revenge drama.

donself9:
Bro ! You can't gaslight me with "its All emotion" ... We are talking about children here we are talking 2yrs, under age kids living & sleeping in an open forest .. The imagination alone triggers " Emotion" except you are a beeast

When you raised point to discredit the agitation and protest by saying people are doing theatre/content, we suppose question your mental state

i am struggling to see any valid point you raise to debate you on,
OYO is not chibok , thats an empirical fact,
you feel the protest is " content/theatrics becos it all over the internet or becos the Governor stood in the midst of protesters unarmed to address their worries and reassure them

Which one are you angry about exactly !

Was Endsars also content to you, we posted online, and in ibadan then Seyi makinde also came out to show solidarity with the youths on the street ... So nothing you see now that we have not seen before both on Seyi and VDM side

Why you think it is for content creation is what i can't fathom, how did we do chibok gurlz protest in ojota nd how this one take look political or fake

I am struggling to make sense of your accusations, its not just adding up

My brother, your problem is that you have mistaken criticism of methods for indifference to victims.

Nobody is asking anyone not to feel emotion. We are talking about kidnapped children for goodness' sake. Only a monster would not be moved.

But emotion is not exempt from scrutiny.

And nowhere did I say protests are wrong.

ENDSARS happened.

Bring Back Our Girls happened.

People have every right to protest.

My question is much simpler: must every tragedy become a stage for influencers, content creators and politicians seeking relevance?

You say you are struggling to understand my point. That is because you are arguing against things I never said.

I never said Oyo is Chibok.

I never said people should not protest.

I never said Makinde should hide.

I said children should be the centre of the story, not VDM.

I said families need results, not reels.

I said a rescue operation involving children used as human shields requires wisdom, not social media theatrics.

And I find it ironic that in your entire essay, you have spent more time defending VDM than discussing the children themselves.

Which, incidentally, was my point from the beginning.

As for questioning my mental state, that is the oldest refuge of people who cannot answer arguments.

Disagreement is not insanity.

And criticism of performative activism is not opposition to activism.

Not all protests are theatre.

But neither is every camera innocent.

And no, I do not think the suffering of children should become a political payback exercise for Chibok, ENDSARS or any other tragedy.

Children are not props.

Their captivity should unite us, not provide another opportunity for influencers and partisans to settle old scores.

The children need rescue.

Everything else is secondary.

WizardOfNG:
Yes of course I can swear Tinubu was not involved in the plot to kidnap the Chibok girls.

Then swear with your destiny and that of your entire family that Tinubu didn't know that Chibok girls kidnaping was designed by opposition to damage Jonathan's government!

[quote author=CharlesCNG post=139753974]

My brother, your problem is that you have mistaken criticism of methods for indifference to victims

Omg! You are full of surprises, So now your problem they didnt match your template for a protest, therefore the protest is ingenuine.

If you can't show me what they did in the protest that depict politic endorsement or violence the smeared the protest Bro you objection is invalid.

How did we protest in ojota for chibok gurlz, how did we protest in lekki toll gate and what exactly makes this one unaccepted, Oga you are angry that seyi makinde connected with the youths, thats not even the 1st time.
let your daddy Tinubu learn Emotional intelligence with that fake pastor wife tew

Nobody is asking anyone not to feel emotion. We are talking about kidnapped children for goodness' sake. Only a monster would not be moved.

But emotion is not exempt from scrutiny.

If you are not political, why does it bother you, did you see the way Davido wear bring them hope on world cup ... and Tinubu zombies are saying he is bad marketing us internationally .. I can't just fathom you Tinubu supporters/sycophants Does america not have embassy here you think they are blind, have trump not always issued statement on Nigeria, are we not even suppose to be calling for foreign support, are we at the top of the crisis

My question is much simpler: must every tragedy become a stage for influencers, content creators and politicians seeking relevance?

If Govt are pro active and do the needful on time, will influencers even have something to feed on, think man
When we have a Govt that won't sit up unless the people hit them up ... Why do you see us as the problem, atleast be sincere to admit you are Tinubu loyalist you stink of it, you reason n talk like them

You are so bothered with people that protest, Buh nothing depict you are worried with the incompetence always coming from the Govt




You say you are struggling to understand my point. That is because you are arguing against things I never said.

I said children should be the centre of the story, not VDM.

If people like you feel too big to step out and someone like VDM decides to use his influence to spearhead a protest how is he centre of the story Did you not see. Placard and hear there demands, Someone as to lead nd coordinate to avoid chaos
Like i said before, nothing wey this protest wan give VDM wey he never get ... He haa a reputation thats why he can command followership if e easy try work ojota for 2hrs under hot sun, c'mon

said families need results, not reels.

If you are the father of any victim, will you be against VDM protest ! Will your concern be VDM is getting likes & shares.
I can't just make sense of your diss with VDM, i am reading you n i am like is this guy even serious ..Davido own nko another Tinubu supporter discredit it he is tarnishing the country, A country bandit killed a general on live video 😄

I said a rescue operation involving children used as human shields requires wisdom, not social media theatrics.

Gud ! So how does the recent protest jeopardise the rescue mission. I want to know
If you were being objective, You should know the reactions nd active response of SW to the incoming Bandit crisis is a leverage to Put Govt on alert here, we won't accept bandits as our prodigal sons don't bring that nunsense here

And I find it ironic that in your entire essay, you have spent more time defending VDM than discussing the children themselves.

I don't have to defend the children, Someone that has influence is doing it nd you are trying to shoot him down, my primary target is You .. Cos in our team work if i tackle you out VDM will go unhindered.
The children is our collective goal, not individual push thats the logic,

Which, incidentally, was my point from the beginning.

You are so full of insincerity, 1st you questioned our " emotional" i reminded you we are talkin about children here, human lives, attaching emotion is very valid, i mentioned the age of the children in forest then you turn around now saying i am all about VDM i didnt talk about the children

Disagreement is not insanity

VDM have contributed his SR, whether you accept it or not. IF you love this children more than theatrics please show workings, Uncle what have you done ?? How is your arguement here helping the children chances to get out, i don't see you rant at the incompetence the govt , i don't see you call out the govt

Your arguement is strangely funny, smh

CharlesCNG:
I agree with you completely.

VDM's pattern is not difficult to read. It is activism as spectacle: loud outrage, public drama, moral posturing and constant self-positioning at the centre of every issue.

What he practices is what political scientists and social commentators increasingly describe as performative activism — activism that derives its energy less from outcomes and more from visibility, applause and monetised outrage.

Real activism focuses on victims, solutions and pressure applied with discipline and strategic thinking.

Performative activism focuses on cameras, followers, emotional manipulation and the cultivation of a personal brand.

And yes, i agree with you again: many Nigerians are easily moved by noise because anger often masquerades as courage to the undiscerning.

That is why some mistake virality for virtue and emotional theatre for leadership.

The danger is that serious national tragedies become raw material for personal branding and political score-settling.

Which brings me to another disturbing aspect of this whole episode. There are people using the plight of these children as a form of political payback for Chibok and other tragedies of years gone by.

That is blood politics.

Children should not become instruments for settling partisan scores.

Their suffering should not be exploited to avenge yesterday's arguments.

That is why we must keep repeating the obvious:

The children need rescue, not reels.

They need safety, not spectacle.

They need compassion, not content.

And they certainly do not deserve to become props in a political revenge drama.

Another brilliant post. Really enjoying reading your posts as they are brilliantly and incisively analytical which is uncommon here.

The kidnapping was politically motivated in my opinion. I personally suspect it is the handiwork of those who Presidential power is oxygen to because it feeds their unprogressive and indolent life choices.

The tragedy, as you identified, is that focus must be on rescuing the children yet that is not the case.

Every individual, working an angle, has hijacked this tragedy for personal profit. Be it political, financial or even social media followership.

Nigeria is really in trouble because the sincerity required, from leaders, for solutions to arrive is lacking.

Additionally, the critical-thinking capacity ordinary Nigerians should ideally possess, so they can make the right demands to leaders uncompromisingly and unitedly, is virtually non-existent.

We are today self-defeatist and self-destructive. Heading for disaster IMO. I just hope it won't be Rwanda-style genocide meltdown because something will give certainly.

[quote author=donself9 post=139755002][/quote]My response to the first point you raised.

My brother, you have once again argued against things I never said.

First, I never said the protest was ingenuine because it did not match my "template." That is a strawman.

Second, I never said the protesters were violent.

Third, I never said Makinde should not engage the youths. In fact, I explicitly said that governments must be held accountable.

So please stop debating the imaginary version of me that lives in your head.

My point is much narrower and much simpler:

**When does activism stop being about the victims and start becoming about the activists?**

That is a perfectly legitimate question.

You keep invoking Chibok and ENDSARS as though mentioning them magically settles the matter.

It doesn't.

Not every protest is identical.

Not every personality is identical.

Not every circumstance is identical.

And not every camera is innocent.

Incidentally, your inability to discuss my actual point without dragging Tinubu and his wife into the matter is quite revealing.

We are discussing kidnapped children, VDM and methods of activism.

Yet somehow, "Daddy Tinubu" and the First Lady have entered the conversation.

Which proves my original point: some people cannot discuss a tragedy without turning it into a partisan football match.

Again, I repeat:

The issue is not whether citizens should protest.

The issue is whether the victims remain the focus.

Because once the influencers become bigger than the issue, activism has begun to mutate into performance.

And yes, criticism of methods is not indifference to victims.

Doctors save lives every day, yet we still critique their methods.

Soldiers fight wars, yet we still debate tactics.

Activists are not above scrutiny.

Only cults believe otherwise.