Another year, another list of characters who do not know when to zip it.
Who are the culprits this time?
They range from a presidential spokesperson finding his feet outside the lowbrow tabloid newsroom to his boss, telling political realities that aren’t quite presidential.
These are the worst quotes we heard all year.
- Will you allow history to repeat itself? Enough of state burials. Nigerians vote wisely. Vote Goodluck Jonathan. Northern presidency should wait till 2019– Governor Ayo Fayose
Campaign season brought with it a lot of hate speech and noxious behaviour but none was more deplorable than Governor Fayose’s notorious advert running on the front page of various national dailies where he predicted that candidate Buhari would die in office if voted in and the nation would have to deal with another presidential burial. Shame on everyone associated with this ad.
- ‘’APC will rule Imo for 20 years’’- Governor Rochas Okorocha
Now this kind of statement has gotten a lot of people in trouble in the past but no one warned the trigger happy governor of Imo state who made the boast while inaugurating officers and members of the state campaign council. We have a feeling Mr Okorocha will eat his words. And it won’t take 24 years to happen.
- This is why my jaw drops when I hear young women these days saying bullshit like, “Why should I cook for my husband?… Are you insane? – Cheta Nwanze
Twitter overlord and respected History lesson teacher put his foot on the landmine that the feminist movement has come to represent on social media. Managing to reduce the decades long struggle in a few tweets to whatever happens between couples in their kitchen, Nwanze proved that even the smartest people have moments that are hopelessly off key.
- It has become a pattern of behaviour that each time Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is internationally recognized, Governor Oshiomhole and his cohorts embark on a cynical and devious ploy of trying to pull her down locally. Just last night, December 1st, Dr Okonjo-Iweala was honoured at a high profile event attended by Vice President Joe Biden and former President Bill Clinton. Dr Okonjo Iweala was honoured alongside Michael Bloomberg, Bill and Melinda Gates and Mo Ibrahim for their contributions to global development and humanity.- Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, via her media aide Paul Nwabuikwu
We tried to come across more self-serving statements than this but none even came close. The former finance minister needs to understand that with great responsibility comes accountability and a public official should always be ready to account for their actions. It is why her fellow high profile friend, Hilary Clinton keeps honouring all those tedious Benghazi hearings and investigations.
- ‘’If PDP has begun to cry wolf where there was none on INEC chairman, then they should be set for louder lamentations. The wailing wailers.’’- Femi Adesina
Presidential spokesperson Femi Adesina, taking a cue from the Reuben Abati playbook of flowery but empty rhetoric. He was reacting to the PDP’s rejection of the appointment of Amina Bala- Zakari as acting INEC chairman.
- ‘’You said I have a small manhood, yet you stayed with me for four years? I only know that my manhood will only be small to a woman with a wide womanhood (sic).’’- Baba Tee
Where do even begin to deal with this? The public show of shame between former lovers, sometime actor/comedian Baba Tee and previously unheard of writer, Yetunde Oduwole took a turn for the darkly comic when he wrote her an open letter including such atrocious lines.
- ‘’Constituents that gave me 97% cannot in all honesty expect to be treated in some issues as some constituencies that gave me 5%. These are political realities.’’- President Muhammadu Buhari
President Muhammadu Buhari isn’t the most expressive of public speakers but this gaffe while responding to a question on total inclusion of the Niger Delta in affairs of his government is decidedly un-presidential. And quite unnecessary too as it isn’t even the correct answer to the question he was asked
- ‘’On Saturday if any one of you, I swear in the name of God goes against my wish that Ambode will be the next governor of Lagos state, the person is going to die inside this water.’’- Oba Rilwan Akiolu
Oba of Lagos Rilwan Akiolu taking the plunge into the toxic waters of ethnic intolerance, intimidation and undue coercion of votes in a meeting with Igbo elders and traditional rulers resident in Lagos while canvassing votes for his preferred candidate.
2.”We for the South we no get Almajiris. Because our men no dey born children wey dem no go remember their names . Our men no dey born children wey dem no go fit count. Our men no dey born children dem go throway give mama.”- Dame Patience Jonathan
Former first lady Dame Patience Jonathan on a campaign trip to Delta state dropped this bomb per her style and everyone fled from the battle ground. In shame.
1.“If one of my men is killed, I shall kill 20 of them but don’t shoot first. If they shoot you, shoot back in self-defence. Anybody who fires you, fire him back in self- defence”– Assistant Inspector General Joseph Mbu
Assistant Inspector General AIG of Police, Zone 2, Mr. Joseph Mbu while preparing for the general elections revealed the extent of rot that has eaten into the police force. If a senior officer of Mbu’s rank can get away with statements like these, we shudder to think what atrocities lower ranked police men would be engaging in on the daily.
Wilfred Okiche is a medic, reader, writer, journalist, culture critic, and occasional ruffler of feathers. One of the most influential critics working in the Nigerian culture space, his writing has appeared extensively in platforms like YNaija.com and 360nobs.com. Okiche has provided editorial assistance to the UK Guardian and has had his work published in African Arguments, Africa is a Country and South Africa’s City Press. He has received trainings and acquired experience in multimedia and online journalism. He also appears on the culture television show, Africana Literati. He has participated at critic programs in Lagos, Durban and Rotterdam.
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