Denge Josef Onoh, Chairman of the Forum of Former Members of the Enugu State House of Assembly and former Southeast spokesman for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has accused Reno Omokri of hypocrisy for criticizing Davido's advocacy for abducted Oyo State schoolchildren and teachers.
In a statement issued to journalists in Abuja, Onoh described Omokri's open letter expressing shock at Davido's response as "a masterclass in selective amnesia and hypocrisy."
Davido's Action at FIFA Event
Onoh said Davido's action at the FIFA World Cup countdown event, where he wore a jacket naming the abducted Oyo children and teachers with the plea "Bring Them Home," was a one-time, victim-centered awareness effort by a Nigerian artist on a global stage. He argued that Davido's intent was to pressure the government to protect lives and secure releases, not to glorify criminals.
"The families of the abducted deserve visibility, not silence that allows the issue to fade," Onoh stated.
Alleged Inconsistency in Omokri's Record
Onoh pointed to Omokri's book Leah Sharibu: The Girl Boko Haram Left Behind and years of interviews, advocacy, and publications on her case. He said Omokri positioned Leah Sharibu as Nigeria's Malala and sustained global attention on Boko Haram's atrocities through that campaign.
"This was the exact approach Omokri now condemns Davido for," Onoh said. "If publicity is 'the oxygen of terrorism,' then your book, interviews, and advocacy supplied plenty of it."
He added that Leah Sharibu remains a symbol of the Dapchi abduction largely because of high-profile advocacy, including Omokri's. Onoh said many commentators have noted the inconsistency in amplifying one case for years while criticizing Davido for drawing attention to dozens of current victims.
Reference to Past Comments on Tinubu
Onoh also faulted Omokri's claim of shock over Davido's Instagram caption referring to him as "UMU BINGO @renoomokri fowl." He said Omokri has no moral high ground, citing Omokri's repeated public accusations against then-presidential candidate Bola Ahmed Tinubu, calling him a "drug lord," "international drug baron," and "heroin drug cartel" figure on global platforms, in interviews, videos, and posts.
Onoh noted that Omokri claimed to have documents, traveled to Chicago for court records, and dared Tinubu to sue him. He said court records later admitted videos of Omokri's statements in legal proceedings. While acknowledging that Omokri has since praised Tinubu's character after his ambassadorial appointment, Onoh said the past rhetoric was far harsher than Davido's social media response.
He concluded that Davido, as a private citizen and global artist, used his platform to highlight Nigerian suffering, while Omokri, as a former presidential aide and ambassador-designate, leveled grave accusations against the President internationally.
On Positive PR and Accountability
While supporting Omokri's praise for IShowSpeed's marketing of Nigeria, Onoh said positive PR does not preclude addressing domestic crises such as school abductions. He argued that positive PR and accountability can coexist, and that complete silence enables impunity and government complacency.
"Davido's targeted, victim-focused action falls into awareness and pressure, not terrorist propaganda," Onoh said.
