Just In: VeryDarkMan Leads Protest in Abuja, Photos, Videos Trend

• Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, staged a protest at the FCT minister, Nyesom Wike’s office gate in Abuja
• Primary school teachers in the FCT have been on strike since March 24, over the alleged failure of the area council chairpersons to implement the new national minimum wage of N70,000
• VeryDarkMan gathered schoolchildren dressed in uniform, and organised a class where he creatively taught them letters of the alphabet

FCT, Abuja - Prominent social media personality, Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), on Monday, June 23, led a protest in Abuja.

As reported by The Punch, VeryDarkMan (also called VDM) and several children protested at the entrance of the office of Nyesom Wike, the minister of the federal capital territory (FCT).

The protest follows Wike’s announcement of plans to withhold 10 percent of the FCT internally-generated revenue (IGR) statutory allocated to the area councils over the non-payment of minimum wage to primary school teachers in the territory. This decision, according to the minister, was in response to the ongoing strike by the teachers due to the non-payment of the new minimum wage by the area councils.

However, on Monday, June 23, VDM gathered schoolchildren dressed in uniforms and expressed his displeasure with the situation.

Pictures and videos from the protest can be viewed below:

Legit.ng reports that during the protest, VDM set up an open-air classroom at the location, where he taught the children letters of the alphabet.

“S for Suegbe, T for Tinubu, W for Wike,” he called out as the children echoed his words.

VDM, who declined to speak, insisted that the minister’s gate had become the children’s new classroom.

At the time of filing this report, the children went on break, where they were seen eating food reportedly provided by VDM and his supporters.

Group backs VDM, other protesters

Meanwhile, the Abuja chapter of the Campaign for Democratic and Workers’ Rights (CDWR) slammed Wike and the area council chairpersons for their alleged continued failure to meet the demands of the striking workers in the territory.

In a statement issued by its Abuja coordinator, Adaramoye Michael Lenin, obtained by Legit.ng, the group expressed solidarity with primary school teachers, healthcare workers, and other council staff who have been on an indefinite strike since March 24.

The striking workers, represented by the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), and the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), are demanding the immediate implementation of the new national minimum wage and payment of outstanding arrears.

The strike followed months of warning strikes and protest actions.

The unions had issued ultimatums and held several demonstrations before embarking on the indefinite action, citing the authorities' failure to engage in meaningful dialogue or fulfil past agreements.

According to CDWR, the ongoing strike has crippled basic services across the FCT, as primary health centres have been shut down, leaving many communities without access to healthcare.

Also, thousands of pupils remain out of school due to the closure of public primary schools, while administrative functions at the Area Council secretariats have also ground to a halt.

Lenin said:

“This strike action means that access to healthcare services through the primary health centres is unavailable, even though many communities rely on these facilities for healthcare.

“It is a clear show of callous negligence that Wike and the six area council chairpersons continue to look the other way while workers suffer and are subjected to penury.”

He added:

“Also, many communities are in danger of a health crisis due to the strike, while many students roam the streets as the doors of schools remain shut.

“This is pure wickedness and a disregard for the welfare of workers and the people of Abuja.”

The group accused the FCT administration of prioritising elite projects over the welfare of workers, citing the recent allocation of N39 billion for the renovation of the International Conference Centre, which was renamed after President Bola Tinubu.

CDWR also criticised the president’s silence on the plight of FCT workers and called on the national leadership of labour unions to intervene.

It said:

“We call on the FCT leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), who have stood by the affected FCT workers, to mobilise workers in other unions to support the protest action of the striking workers.

“Such a show of solidarity is needed to put more pressure on the government and ensure the demands of the FCT workers are met.”

Read more on VeryDarkMan:

• VeryDarkMan extends job offer to Benue state official suspended for participating in protest
• VDM opens up on absence from social media, brother’s video, shares pain: “I am really stressed out”

Lagos hails VeryDarkMan

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the Lagos state government praised VeryDarkMan for 'exemplifying' environmental sustainability.

The commendation came after VeryDarkMan caught a man pooing on a road in Ikeja, Lagos.

Source: Legit.ng