WHO SHOULD BE APOLOGIZING TO WHO? A REFLECTION ON VDM, AKPABIO, AND THE STATE OF NIGERIA By Daniel Okonkwo In a democratic society, the right to freedom of speech must be sacred and protected. The recent call by the South-South Zonal chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for popular social media activist, Martins Vincent Otse, widely known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), to apologize to the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, demands closer examination. VDM has been given a one-week ultimatum to tender an apology for what the APC termed "disparaging remarks" in one of his latest videos. But one must pause and ask: Why should VDM apologize, and for what exactly? The doctrine of equity teaches that "he who comes to equity must come with clean hands." Anyone seeking redress must be free of any wrongdoing themselves. In this context, before demanding an apology, it is worth evaluating: Who truly owes an apology—VDM to Akpabio or Nigeria’s political leader...
Daniel Okonkwo: A Profile in Excellence and Advocacy Founder and CEO of Profile International Human Rights Advocate and Daniels Entertainment Daniel Okonkwo stands at the intersection of media, human rights, and digital innovation. As the founder of Profile International Human Rights Advocate and the CEO of Daniels Entertainment, Daniel has dedicated his career to crafting impactful narratives and championing the cause of human rights through compelling content and strategic media initiatives.