In a recent event that has caused a lot of debate, former Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole made fun of Godwin Obaseki and his wife Betsy Obaseki by saying that they don’t have any children. The comment quickly went viral. It was made in an interview with Television Continental (TVC) and then shared on Sunday on TVC’s X (formerly Twitter) account. Many people were shocked by what Oshiomhole said, and it has caused a lot of discussion on social media.
Adams Oshiomhole, who is now a Senator for Edo North, has had political rivalries with other people before, especially Godwin Obaseki. Since Obaseki took over as governor after Oshiomhole, there has been a lot of trouble in their friendship. Both men have said mean things to each other many times during their political fight, but Oshiomhole’s most recent comments took things to a more personal level. By talking about not having children, Oshiomhole has gone into very personal territory, which many people think is not acceptable for public discourse, especially from someone in his position.
Oshiomhole told Governor Obaseki and his wife, “You are in your 60s and still childless,” in the video clip that TVC shared. It has been widely criticised for this comment, with many saying it is not only hurtful but also inappropriate. The problem of not having children is a very private one, and Oshiomhole’s choice to use it as a political tool has made people in Nigeria question the morality of political speech.
Responses on social media have been quick and different. Some people who support Oshiomhole have said that he has the right to free speech, but most people seem to think that what he said was inappropriate. A lot of people are upset and have taken to X and other sites to say so. They want to stress that political disagreements shouldn’t lead to personal attacks that involve family and fertility. Women’s rights groups and people who work to raise knowledge about fertility have criticised the comments the most, saying that they only make couples who are having trouble having children feel bad about themselves.
Oshiomhole’s critics, on the other hand, see what he said as part of a larger plan to hurt Obaseki’s image while he still leads Edo State. There have been a lot of fights between them because they are political rivals, and this new event is seen as making their feud worse. Many, though, want people to disagree with each other in a more polite and issue-based way, instead of attacking each other personally.
At this point, Governor Obaseki and his wife have not reacted to Oshiomhole’s comments in public. There is still no word on whether they will directly deal with the problem or choose to ignore it and focus on their responsibilities as leaders. Meanwhile, the debate is still going strong online, with Nigerians having different opinions on whether Oshiomhole’s comments were acceptable and what they mean for the current state of political discourse in the country.
In conclusion, Oshiomhole’s controversial comment has shown that Nigerian politics is often toxic, with personal issues being brought into the public eye for political gain. This event reminds us that politics conversations need to be more sensitive and polite, especially when they involve personal and possibly painful topics like not having children. As the discussion goes on, many people are hoping that in the future, people will be able to talk about politics in a more respectful and helpful way.