Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, has sparked controversy on social media after directing a harsh Yoruba insult at an online critic and subsequently blocking another user who questioned a government telecommunications initiative.
The incident began following a video Tijani published on X detailing the Nigeria Universal Communication Access Project (NUCAP). The initiative aims to erect telecom masts to bring web access to an estimated 20 million underserved citizens. In the comment section, a political commentator posting under the handle Chelssy506 questioned the minister’s competence, writing dismissively that he was out of his depth.
Within the hour, the minister hit back forcefully in Yoruba with the phrase ‘Omo ale,’ which translates to bastard, adding that the derogatory term used by the commentator was better suited to the critic’s own relatives. The sharp retort rapidly drew massive engagement, amassing thousands of interactions and dividing public opinion.
Supporters, including high-profile professionals and academics, defended Tijani’s reaction by arguing that government officials are human beings entitled to push back against online disrespect. Others, however, condemned the language, calling it inappropriate and beneath the dignity of a cabinet member representing the federal government.
The controversy deepened shortly afterward when Tijani restricted access to another user, Adesanya Adebayo. Adebayo, an IT professional based in Canada with previous experience coordinating rural telephony initiatives for MTN and Huawei, had raised practical questions regarding NUCAP’s viability.
Drawing from his field experience on comparable rural ventures launched nearly a decade ago, Adebayo pointed out persistent hurdles such as impassable roads, recurring theft of backup power systems, and physical security threats to maintenance personnel. He questioned how the public sector intended to overcome the severe logistical and maintenance bottlenecks that had previously frustrated established private operators.
Rather than receiving a clarification or counterargument, Adebayo discovered he had been blocked by the minister within an hour of posting his observations. Expressing his dismay, the former project coordinator questioned the administration’s willingness to engage with constructive feedback from young professionals.
The social media clashes have revived memories of Tijani’s ministerial screening before the Senate, where he previously had to apologize for disparaging remarks he made online against the country and its passport, explaining at the time that those posts had been made out of frustration.
