By Wisdom Nwedene
Yesterday, the internet was agog following a video of Mr. Femi Fani-Kayode, a former Minister of Aviation lambasting a journalist, calling him a “stupid” man for just asking him a simple question, who is “bankrolling” you?
The word “bankroll” which is functioning as a verb in the above sentence simple means, “Mr. Femi Fani-Kayode, Who Is Supporting or Funding Your Tour to different states in Nigeria?”.
This is the only question that got Fani-Kayode angry like a hungry lion looking for who to devour.
It’s very shameful seeing such anger coming out of a man who has insulted President Muhammadu Buhari’s led administration and called many politicians names using his social media accounts.
It’s even more heartbreaking seeing the Minister trying to defend his actions and refusing to apologise to the Journalist and the Nigerian Union of Journalists.
Narrating the ugly incident which played out during the press conference in Calabar, the journalist, Mr Eyo Charles said a “security aide” to the former minister walked up to him and began interrogating him after the incident. He said he had to hurriedly leave the hotel premises.
The former minister, the reporter said, later called his editor in Daily Trust and demanded his sack.
The reporter said he regretted apologising to Mr Fani-Kayode over the incident.
“I am 53, he is not much older than me. I am not a child, I am an adult and I have children,” he said.
Fani-Kayode even wanted the journalist to be sacked and went as far as calling his publisher, thereby, fulfilling his threat of reporting the journalist to his publisher.
There are many questions which Fani-Kayode should answer as he continues his tour to different states in Nigeria.
(1) What significant is Femi Fani-Kayode’s inspection of Governors’ projects?
(2) As a former Minister of Aviation which he always brags about, what did he achieve?
(3) Why did he beg through his lawyer to return his alleged loot to FG? The link is here.
A Former president of Nigeria, Olesegun Obasanjo once described Fani-Kayode as his boy whom if you give him food, he will sing for you.
Obasanjo said: “Femi is my boy. If you give him food, he will sing for you?’’
To the journalist, it’s good that you were calm throughout the encounter but you would have won my heart if you had asked him the question again.
Example : “Please, Former Minister, you haven’t addressed the question. Who is supporting your tour to different states in Nigeria?
Let him rage in anger again and nothing will happen.
In conclusion, Fani-Kayode must apologise to the journalist and stop claiming Mr Right.
Wisdom Nwedene is a journalist, writer and can be contacted via [email protected]
