One of Buhari’s media aide, Jack Obinyan has come under fire for glorifying ‘poverty’. Obinyan had attempted to pass a message about hard work when he shared his experience with a young girl hawking bottled water.
Many Nigerians dragged him, saying the young girl should be in school in a successful and well governed country.
Jack Obinyan, one of President Buhari‘s media aide has apparently landed himself at the front yard of internet trolls after sharing his experience with a young girl who he stated, hawks bottled water for a living.
Obinyan had attempted to preach on the benefits of hard work when he said that a female minor which he met recently was happily hawking bottled water and at the time of their conversation had sold N4,000 which gives her a profit of N800.
He went further to state that after a whole day’s work, she retires home with approximately N1,500, which after research amounts to less than five dollars. In his post, Jack, seemed to be praising the work of the minor and stating that hard work pays.
His post angered many Nigerians who attacked him verbally and stated that the young girl should be in school instead of being on the streets. Many also accused Jack of glorifying poverty and suffering instead of being honest about the condition of the country.
Some argued that if Nigeria were a successful and well-governed country, such will not be happening to the ‘leaders of tomorrow.’
Read the statement that sparked outrage on social media:
I met this girl hawking bottled water…She said as at 1pm she already sold N4,000 at N20 profit per bottle she has N800 already, she goes home with approx N1,500 net profit per day.
— Jack Obinyan 🇳🇬 (@JackObinyan) April 20, 2019
Here’s how Nigerians reacted to the post:
Let your daughter hawk bottled water too. Amen.
Onye ara
— IKECHUKWU (@iykimo) April 21, 2019
In 30 days, she makes 45k.
Always under the rain or in the sun.
At risk of road traffic accidents, health challenges and many more.
What exactly is your point sir?— Dr Dandelion (@LoladeNetti) April 21, 2019
Very foolish point if there is any. Those he know the dangers involved in the girl’s trade. Those he know the perils and harassment she goes through in the hands of revenue collectors, task force and other overzealous govt agents ?
— Adaobi’s Man (@uncle_pee01) April 22, 2019
This is the Nigeria where I did exactly same high/back street hawking for pennies of survival some 35 odd years or so ago on the streets of Lagos. Is this the same we are gleefully tweeting about now for the current young generation and ones coming even after them?
— Boason Omofaye (@BBoason) April 21, 2019
Too many fools called buharists
You daughter ll hawk bottle drinks so you can count the profits endlessly… Amen
— War Veteran 🇳🇬⚓ (@drunkito) April 21, 2019
Why can’t she go to school? Hawking bottled water can’t take her far. Will she be hawking bottled water at the age of 40yrs? My parents taught me that it’s better for child to go to school. And if the child can’t go to school, he or she should go learn any skilled trade.
— MA Johnson #CONVERT HOPE INTO ACTION ASAP (@akinsolajohnson) April 21, 2019
May all his daughters hawk pure water soon!
— Lucas (@lucas4dominion) April 21, 2019
The fact that you say you met this ‘girl’ is what is paining my soul, someone who has a lot of untapped potential, you are advising her to keep at this and then roast corn during the rainy season when bottled water isn’t so lucrative. Are you and Buhari okay like this?
— Jon Snow cos I know nothing. (@Mrjohnny_bobo) April 21, 2019
Meanwhile, in a video trending on social media, an Arabian man, whose name was not revealed, said Nigeria has a problem of bad leadership. According to him, Nigeria is rich in oil and that the country had the mineral resource before Dubai discovered its own.
Apart from oil, the man said Nigeria is blessed with fertile land for agriculture. He said: “Nigeria is way richer than Dubai. Nigeria had crude oil before Dubai.“Nigeria also has agriculture, gold, diamond and many other valuable mineral deposits (minning), but Nigeria is currently the way it is because of bad leaders. “The only reason Dubai is better than Nigeria is because of good leadership.”