By Austin Ogwuda
A Sapele-based Content Creator, Citizen Uge Elo Kenneth recently took to TikTok to show to the whole world the deplorable state of Shell Road in Sapele, Delta State, Nigeria, which created an artificial lake right at the middle of the road.
It was really satire at its best as the young man pulled off his dress except the underwear and was found taking his bath and at the same time took to the social media broadcasting live in about four-minute video, calling out Governor Sheriff Oborevwori’s government for the overt neglect despite receiving the highest allocation from Abuja.
That went viral with several internet users joining in the created mockery exercise with ridiculous comments, some of them unprintable.
Citizen Kenneth exclaimed in pidgin English: ”ehe, you know say Sheriff and the local government chairman dem no gree do road for us.
So, the swimming pool wen dem do for us so, I wan really appreciate dem for this swimming pool wen dem do for us.
“So, the swimming pool wey dem do so, we appreciate I wan baff (bath). So, the swimming pool wey dem do for us so, we appreciate them. Sheriff, Eugene, una try. Sheriff una try O!, Eugene, God bless you.
“God bless all of una. Okowa, anywhere you dey, God bless you. Okowa, you try for building swimming pool. Okowa, you no gree do road, alright.
“Una no gree do roads, Sheriff, God bless you. Okowa, God be with you, Eugene, God bless you, una try. Okowa, God bless you for this swimming pool, Sheriff, una good, una thank you ooo”.
While the video provided a comic relief to many, officials of the Delta State government were not enthused at all; rather they sought for damage control measures.
What next we heard was that Citizen Kenneth was whisked away by plain clothes Policemen which triggered outrage against Oborevwori’s government by ardent social media users, accusing the governor of allegedly ordering for the man’s arrest.
Ironically, no official word came from the Police over the arrest. And while many were wondering where he was kept or when to possibly charge him to court for the perceived offence he committed that warranted the arrest in the first place, the Director General of the State Orientation and Communications Bureau, Dr (Barr) Fred Latimore Oghenesivbe came up with this defence.
He ended up justifying the arrest, likening the action of Citizen Kenneth to a suicide mission.
Hear him, “The trending video of a young man bathing in dirty road water is distasteful and should not be encouraged by any right thinking individual.
“Bathing in contaminated water can cause certain health problems including; skin irritation caused by contact with small larvae called cercarias, eye, ear and throat infections, among others. This is not the right way or strategy to attract government attention.
“Government is investing heavily on quality healthcare for our people, and it is very unfair for one of our brothers to bath in dirty road water without considering the possible health hazards. He must never do that again.
“His subsequent arrest was never at the instance of the state governor, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori. The law enforcement agents may have interpreted the actions of the young man to mean suicide attempt which is against the Law.
“Anything could have happened to him while taking his bath in dirty road water. It is a wrong strategy to protest or attract government attention.
“Governor Oborevwori is currently paying adequate attention to roads in Sapele local government area, and the other 24 local government areas in the state. The MORE Agenda implementation will go round the three senatorial districts.
“Government cannot handle all the dilapidated or bad roads at the same time. They shall be rehabilitated and reconstructed along with other categories of infrastructure in phases across the state.
“Governor Oborevwori is working round the clock to Advance Delta beyond 2027 and it is only fair to join hands with him to bring unprecedented development to our dear State” Oghenesivbe stated.
Oghenesivbe, thinking he has deployed his public relations know-how by absolving the State government of the glaring neglect of the particular road, did not know that he had poured fuel inside the already raging fire.
He was roundly carpeted for going too far with his suicide theory, many flared up over Latimore’s narrative.
As that was trending and the State government, having sensed that they have been boxed to a corner either directly or indirectly ensured that Citizen Kenneth should be left off the hook.
Although the same State government denied not having hands in the man’s arrest, came up through Latimore again that the man considered to be an albatross, has been freed.
Let’s hear Latimore again, in another statement over Kenneth’s freedom which left one to begin to wonder if Latimore is now the official spokesman of Sheriff Oborevwori’s government and that of the State Police Command too.
Baffling too, is the question why was Citizen Kenneth not charged to a law court. Was he merely cautioned or ‘settled’?
But before racking your brain over these posers, let’s hear Latimore and another damage control stunt from his end.
Said Latimore, “Governor Sheriff Oborevwori is a core Democrat with sound knowledge of democratic principles, a Justice of the Peace, and a well grounded grassroots politician.
“He is well informed politically, and adheres strictly to rule of law, freedom of expression, and also recognizes the rights of the governed to demand good governance, equitable distribution of resources and dividends of democracy.
“The Sapele Content Creator was never arrested on the order of the governor of Delta State. Governor Oborevwori will never give such orders, because of his sound knowledge of fundamental rights of citizens. He is a passionate leader with a heart of gold.
“The young man was questioned and released by law enforcement agents on their own accord and in the discharge of their constitutionally assigned responsibility, and in accordance with relevant sections of the Police Act, and other subsisting Laws.
“Governor Oborevwori was a lawmaker and Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly for almost seven years. He is well grounded. Above all, he is father to all Deltans.
“People should desist from linking the content creator’s arrest to Delta State Governor and the state government. His MORE agenda is for all Deltans, including the content creator.
“The content creator exposed himself to health hazards by bathing in contaminated water, which is not the best way or strategy to attract government attention. There are better and responsible options.
“He must never again expose himself to infections and diseases in the course of doing his daily business of content creation. Gov Oborevwori cares about his health. Health, they say, is wealth.
“Delta State Governor welcomes constructive criticism that would enable government upscale infrastructure and socioeconomic development. It serves as feedback necessary for good governance,” Oghenesivbe said.
While the drama was playing out, the Executive Director of Eye On The Future Initiative (EFI), Comrade Josephine Omodior who is also the Assistant Secretary of the Delta State Council of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) joined the masses in crying out over Citizen Kenneth’s arrest.
Comrade Omodior, a human Rights Activist in a Press Statement obtained by The Townhall stated that “We at EFI are not happy with the alleged arrest of the young man whose video of bathing in a flooded road in Sapele recently went viral. What offense has the young man who is not happy with the deplorable road has committed.
“As far as we are concerned, the young man has the right to take his bath anywhere that pleases him and that is why we are not happy with his alleged arrest.
“EFI is out to fight for the right of the people and we are not going to fold our hands and watch our people being oppressed and we therefore demand for the immediate rest of the young man in question. He did no wrong. Citizens must be allowed to express themselves if they are not satisfied with things around them, she maintained.
In all, the question is when will the road complained about be fixed? Is Citizen Kenneth now gagged? But one thing is clear: the power of the sociol media in today’s world shouldn’t be toyed with.
Whether Citizen Kenneth was arrested on the orders of the State government or not one thing is certain, he has been made popular and don’t envy him if advertising companies seek him in future.
In whatever way, Citizen Kenneth has been made a hero through his TikTok dramatized civil protest.
Don’t even be surprised if after fixing the road, it might be renamed after Citizen Kenneth, are you wondering, the drama is not over yet.
