Social Media Trends For Sunday 25th October 2020

25 Oct. 2020 update: Good morning Nigeria, welcome to mnaija.com trending gist on social media platforms in Nigeria for Sunday 25th October 2020.

Gani Adams

The Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yoruba Land, Chief Gani Adams, seemed to have won over the heart of some Nigerians on social media following his interview on Arise TV.

The former OPC chieftain said “if Nigeria doesn’t restructure, it will break up”. He also alleged that the wanton destruction of property by hoodlums in Lagos State was sponsored by politicians.

The interview which trended on social media gave Gani Adams some form of heroic reception, with many hailing him for always speaking the truth no matter whose ox is gored.

But a handful of others said Gani was only saying what the people wanted to hear, and that if given the chance to lead the country, he might just come up with a different view.

Yola

The scene of looting heralded by the EndSARS protests in some parts of the country was shifted to Yola, the Adamawa State capital, as hundreds of youths broke into a government warehouse where COVID-19 palliatives were kept.

As seen in viral videos on social media, the jubilant youths carted away various food items from the warehouse without resistance from security operatives who manned about three armoured personnel carriers.

Meanwhile, Nigerians are expressing disappointments over the attitude of hoarding palliatives meant for the masses by state governors. They called on the Federal Government to launch an investigation into why the palliatives were hoarded instead of being distributed to citizens who were already starving to death.

Innoson

The disclosure by StatiSense, which puts the cost of the 27 BRT buses destroyed by hoodlums at $200,000 each, and $100,000 for bulk purchase of 57 units, has generated reactions on social media.

While many described the huge cost as a waste of public funds, others said indigenous carmaker, Innoson Motor Vehicle, could produce the buses at a lesser cost, and therefore the replacement for the burnt buses should be bought from the company.

This, according to them, would help reinforce confidence in the government’s drive to promoting ‘made in Nigeria’ products.

Pastor Tunde Bakare

Pastor Tunde Bakare’s address on the state of the nation has been greeted with some frenzy on social media, especially as he described the now-defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) unit of the Police as ‘State Aided Robbery Squad – SARS’, which must be reformed to a ‘Strategic Agenda for a Restructured State – SARS’.

Bakare, who sounded poetically lyrical, also proposed that the NYSC should be a two-year optional service – the first year for military training, while the second year for agricultural training.

He further proposed that a minimum of Ordinary National Diploma and/or a Bachelor’s degree should be accepted for candidates into the Police Academy, and suggested the change of name from Nigeria Police Force to Nigeria Police Service.

However, the preacher was able to garner commendations from a cross-section of Nigerians, in the same way others dismissed him for being a smooth talker, who had nothing practical to offer as solutions to contemporary issues bedeviling the country.

Gov Ayade

Following the widespread looting of public and private properties in Calabar, Cross River State capital on Saturday, Governor Ben Ayade has ordered a house-to-house search for looted items. This is even as the 24-hour curfew imposed on Friday still remains in force.

A limited amnesty has equally been put in place for those in possession of looted items to return them to the nearest police station without a penalty.

The governor, who allegedly fled in the heat of the violence, made a public appearance today on state-owned television – CRBC, where he vowed to bring the lawlessness to an end and assured residents of peaceful sleep.

Ayade has been severely criticized on social media following the discovery of about four warehouses in which Federal Government’s COVID-19 palliatives and food items were being hoarded amid large-scale hunger in the land.

The development further fuelled anger and resentment, leading to demonstrative acts of vandalism against public and private properties, including businesses. While the chaos persisted, many Nigerians took to social media to call for calm and restraint.

Jalingo

The death of six persons in a stampede in Jalingo, the Taraba State capital, during the looting of a state government’s COVID-19 warehouse, has generated angry reactions on social media.

Many Nigerians, who described the incident as unfortunate, said this would have been averted if state governors had done the right thing by distributing the items to the masses who needed them the most.

Consequently, they called on the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate the hoarding of palliatives by state governments and ensure that those found culpable are prosecuted.

They said what is happening in some parts of the country shows how hungry and impoverished many Nigerians are. They, therefore, called on the government to come up with practical approaches to address the issue of widespread hunger in the country.