Segun Dipe
It’s unnecessary, let’s keep our focus, we shouldn’t give room for such distraction. Things like this shouldn’t bother us at all.
These were the calm and soothing words of His Excellency, Governor Biodun Abayomi, BAO, when I approached him with the need to take on the outlier called Very Dark Man, seething.
Honestly, I would have preferred that we sue the boy for cyberbullying, but the governor, known for his omoluabi conduct, would hear no such thing.
He believes the boy was just living up to his true character and we should let him enjoy himself, while we face our “front.”Who, by the way, is Very Dark Man or VDM for short?
His real name is Martins Vincent Otse. He has been involved in several controversies, including the high-profile case with the Falanas.
In September 2024, he shared a purported audio conversation involving Bobrisky, claiming Femi Falana and his son Falz were involved in securing a presidential pardon for Bobrisky.
The Falanas sued VDM for defamation, and a Lagos High Court ordered him to remove the defamatory content and pay ₦200,000 in costs.
Regarding his educational qualification, there are conflicting reports. Some sources state he earned a degree in Business Administration from the University of Lagos, while others claim his highest qualification is an Ordinary School Leaving Certificate.
Some of VDM’s notable errors and misjudgments include allegations of cyberbullying and defamation. He has faced multiple lawsuits and arrests for allegedly spreading unverified information and making defamatory statements.
VDM’s comments on sensitive topics, like the Ekiti State budget, have sparked widespread criticism. He is known to have displayed questionable financial dealings. He’s been accused of misusing NGO donations and faced scrutiny over his spending patterns.
In truth, let’s take heed of the governor’s suggestion by pitying VDM, and not vilifying him, not minding the rightness or wrongness of what he spewed. By vilifying VDM, especially when we are faced with a bigger duty of winning the 20 June election, we won’t achieve much.
It will be akin to adding fuel to the fire, making him defensive. We will make the outlier see himself as a victim or martyr. Instead of demonizing him, we will be lionising him.
He will be achieving his initial intention of drawing us out and backward. In the alternative, we should black him out and make him a failure in the presence of his masters.
VDM should be made to reap the fruits of his actions, and they are legion.Even in the People’s Court, VDM is guilty of cyberbullying and harassment, he is guilty of misinformation and disinformation. He spreads false info and makes them appear real, fueling panic and confusion.
By so doing, VDM is carrying out online vigilantism, witchhunting, and by meddling in the affairs of Ekiti State, spreading falsehood, he is an interloper.VDM’s controversies and mistakes are out there, and he’s facing heat for them.
Maybe he’s learning from them, maybe he’s not, maybe now, maybe later. Either way, he’s human, making mistakes and sooner than later, they will come back to hunt him.Still in his early 30s, and God sparing his life to live long enough, VDM has got enough time to realise his follies, if ever.
And we should pray he learn through precepts, not personal experience. Let’s therefore cease talking about rightness or wrongness of VDM’s Ekiti mis-speak, he is not knowledgeable enough to know enough about budgeting and actualization. More so, he is not mature enough to know the implication of running down a system. He is only catching his cruise.
Segun Dipe is the Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Ekiti State
