“It’s Not About Book”: VeryDarkMan Fires Back at Femi Falana Over NBA Conference Criticism
- VeryDarkMan responded to Femi Falana SAN after the lawyer questioned the NBA's decision to invite the activist to speak at its annual conference
- VDM argued that his firsthand experience with insecurity in Nigeria qualified him to contribute to the discussion at the 66th NBA conference in Port Harcourt
- The activist described the backlash against his invitation as 'classism', claiming critics objected because of his background rather than his relevance to the topic
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Social media activist VeryDarkMan (VDM), whose real name is Martins Vincent Otse, has pushed back strongly against comments by human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria Femi Falana, who criticised the Nigerian Bar Association's choice to invite the activist as a speaker at its flagship conference.
In a video posted to his Instagram page on Friday, August 28, 2026, VDM responded directly to Femi Falana's remarks, framing the controversy as rooted in class prejudice rather than any genuine question of competence.
Source: Instagram
VDM says experience matters more than credentials
Femi Falana had raised objections in a Channels Television interview on Thursday, August 27, arguing that speakers at NBA conferences on specialised subjects such as national security should bring relevant expertise or professional knowledge to the table.
He pointed to the association's tradition of inviting individuals whose technical background could benefit legal practitioners.
VDM took particular issue with that reasoning. The social media critic maintained that his years of witnessing and documenting insecurity on the ground gave him a perspective that many credentialled security experts simply did not have.
"In the last few years, I have been present where all these things have happened. I have seen things that a lot of security experts have not seen. This is not about book. It's about experience," he said.
The activist appeared at the NBA's 66th Annual General Conference in Port Harcourt, where he took part in a panel discussion on insecurity in Nigeria.
Source: Instagram
'The son of a nobody'
Beyond the question of expertise, VDM argued that the real objection to his presence was social.
He labelled the criticism "classism" and said the backlash reflected discomfort among the elite about sharing a platform with someone from an ordinary background.
"The problem these people have is that the son of a nobody was invited to come and speak where elites are seated," he said.
He stressed that security was not the exclusive concern of experts or policymakers but a daily reality for millions of Nigerians who lacked powerful voices to represent them.
"Security is for everybody. Security is not for some set of people. And this has been the problem," he said.
VDM added that his purpose at the conference was to give expression to the experiences of people who are typically absent from such conversations.
"I spoke on behalf of the poor masses. I spoke on behalf of the poor people. I spoke on behalf of the people that don't have a voice," he said.
The activist admitted he had not anticipated the direction Femi Falana's comments would take.
"I wasn't expecting this angle from Femi Falana SAN, but well, it is what it is," he said.
Watch VeryDarkMan respond to Femi Falana's comments about his invite to the NBA conference below:
VDM withdraws from P-Square feud
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that social media activist VeryDarkMan withdrew from the ongoing P-Square family saga after alleging that Peter Okoye attempted to use him in the dispute.
He explained in a video that he apportioned 40% of the blame to Jude Okoye for refusing to step down as manager, while assigning the remaining 60% across Peter, his wife, and others involved.
VDM also dismissed claims that Peter confided in him, insisting he was being unfairly targeted by critics before declaring the matter closed.
Source: Legit.ng
