Ogun Government Allegedly Arrests Woman For Lambasting State Governor Over Stone-filled Beans Distributed As COVID-19 Palliative
A young lady named Idowu Adekoya was on Wednesday arrested in the Ijebu Ode area of Ogun State for attacking Governor Dapo Abiodun over the poor quality of food items distributed by government officials to residents as palliatives to cushion the effects of the Coronavirus lockdown in the city.
In a video that has since gone viral on the Internet, Adekoya, in company with others whose faces were not shown, could be heard lambasting Governor Abiodun for instructing state officials to distribute beans filled with stones as part of food items to sustain them during this period.
Expressing the frustrations of many Ogun residents, Adekoya said, “Good evening Nigerians and Ijebu indigenes.
“They want to kill us in Ogun State. They said we should remain at home because of COVID-19 but is this not COVID-25, can’t this kill someone? Kidney problem, liver problem will be caused by this.
“This is not different from what Hausa people pour on the ground for their goats to eat. This is what Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State instructed his commissioners to distribute to us. Is this fair? This is not fair at all.
“Your Excellency, can any of your relatives eat this useless food you instructed to be distributed to us? Will your family eat this? You that wished for Ogun residents to have liver and kidney problem, it is you who would have such.”
But shortly after recording and releasing the video on the Internet, Adekoya was tracked and allegedly arrested by Ogun State Government officials.
After pleas by community members and influential persons within Ijebu Ode, Adekoya was told to do another video to recant all she earlier said and apologise to Governor Abiodun as a condition for her release.
With no other option left at her disposal, the young lady accepted the offer and recorded a forced apology to the Ogun State governor.
Kneeling outside a house and with people sitting behind her back including an elderly woman, Adekoya said, “Good evening Nigerians, most especially people in Ogun State, in Ijebu Ode. I, Idowu Adekoya, is the one speaking.
“I am the one that did a video on the food distributed in Ijebu Ode earlier.
“Your Excellency sir, I just did that video, I never knew it would turn out this way. I didn’t do it out of malice, do not be angry.
“Elders say that no matter how a child knows how to eat pap, it must rub all over its hand.
“Your Excellency sir, I am very sorry, please don’t be angry at me. We have eaten the said beans, we used it to make Moin-moin (bean pudding).
“No harm shall come near your children, evil shall not befall you, your family and all those close to you. All those working in Ijebu Ode Local Government Council, nothing will happen to them. None of you shall see problem in your lives.”
But despite recanting her earlier words, Nigerians on social media have continued to express support for Adekoya.
Many in this category, who acknowledge that indeed the young lady was forced to tender an apology, said that they were going to stand by her no matter what happens.
Interestingly, Adekoya is not the only one that had condemned all manner of food items distributed by government officials as palliatives during the lockdown and movement restriction occasioned by the Coronavirus outbreak in the country – she is only among a growing number that have taken out their anger on politicians for demeaning citizens though their disgusting ‘relief items’.
For instance, young people in the Agege area of Lagos shamed Speaker of the state’s House of Assembly by using bread he distributed to residents of the community to play soccer on the streets.
The enraged residents rained slurs at him for taking them as ‘paupers’ to distribute ‘ordinary’ bread to them.
Nigerians in other parts of the country have also expressed similar rage at government officials for sharing similar demeaning items.
While the total lockdown of Lagos, Ogun and FCT was extended by President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday for another two weeks, many states across the country have also adopted similar measures to keep people in their houses as a way of curtailing the spread of Coronavirus.
At the moment, Nigeria has 407 confirmed cases and 12 recorded deaths as a result of the pandemic