Your criticisms of Tinubu sometimes neurotic, outright petty – Nollywood actor, Patrick Doyle tackles Obi
Patrick Doyle, Nollywood veteran actor, has tackled the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi, over his criticism of the President Bola Tinubu-led administration.
He commended Peter Obi’s criticisms, but noted sometimes they are borderline neurotic and outright petty, said Doyle.
He wrote, “Kudos to Obi for being a consistent critic of the Tinubu administration, but some of his criticisms are borderline neurotic and outright petty.”
The actor’s remarks comes shortly after the former Anambra governor criticized the manner of reception organised for the visit of President Bola Tinubu to Benue State over the recent massacre in the state.
Obi said that instead of a solemn event to mourn the victims of the violence, which resulted in the death of several Nigerians, “the President arrived not in mourning cloth but in celebratory agbada attire, like it was an occasion for joy.”
Obi expressed disappointment that the visit on Wednesday did not embody a spirit of national mourning and lacked empathy for the families affected by the massacre in Benue and the flooding in Niger State.
“We pleaded that the President should show Leadership and visit Benue and Niger States in the spirit of deep national mourning, to offer compassion and solidarity to families torn apart by the senseless massacre of over 200 innocent Nigerians in Benue State and flooding that killed similar number in Niger State.
“But what we saw in Benue visit was instead of a solemn, reflective visit, a display that would have been more befitting for the commissioning of reconstructed Enugu-Makurdi highway, a critical road connecting South and Northern Nigeria which had become impassable for years.
“The President arrived not in mourning cloth but in celebratory agbada attire, like it was an occasion for joy,” Obi wrote on his X handle in the early hours of Thursday.
The Labour Party leader criticized the Benue State government for declaring a public holiday and having school children stand in the rain to dance and sing for the President.
He stated that such actions lack compassion and empathy, emphasizing that condolence visits have now become more like carnivals and campaign rallies.
“Even more heartbreaking is the role of the State. Rather than been in mourning mood and weeping declared a public holiday, not for reflection or prayer, but to organize fanfare. Schools were shut down. Children who should be mourning their slaughtered classmates, and parents were instead lined up under the rain, rehearsed to sing and dance for the President. In what kind of country does this happen?
“We have tragically arrived at a point where condolence visits have become carnivals. A time that should be marked by silence and solemnity is now polluted by banners, music, and rehearsed spectacles. Precious Nigerian lives have been lost, yet we’re clapping, singing, and organizing processions, as though this were a campaign rally.
“This is not how any compassionate nation behaves. The energy, resources, and logistics poured into this charade could have gone into food supplies, temporary shelters, medical aid, school support, and trauma counselling for grieving families. Instead, we chose optics over empathy,” Obi added.
