THE CONTROVERSY surrounding a Delta State nursing student, Osato Edobor, has reignited discussions on free speech and student rights in Nigeria after she was issued a disciplinary query for recording a viral video during First Lady Oluremi Tinubu’s visit. The withdrawal of the query by the Delta State Government has done little to quell the wider conversation about the shrinking space for dissent under the current administration.
The Delta State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Joseph Onojaeme, confirmed on Friday that the query issued by the School of Nursing Sciences, Agbor, had been withdrawn. According to him, the decision aligns with the government’s commitment to ensuring a free and fair learning environment for students.
“The Honourable Commissioner for Health, Dr. Joseph Onojaeme, has directed the immediate withdrawal of the query issued to Nursing Student Osato Edobor by the Provost of the School of Nursing Sciences, Agbor,” the ministry said in a public notice.
In a video statement, Onojaeme sought to reassure the public that the state government had no intention of punishing students for expressing themselves.
“I’ve instructed the provost to withdraw the letter. We don’t want to victimise any of the students,” he stated.
He also confirmed that he had personally reached out to Edobor to communicate the decision.
“I’ve also reached out to the student in question, and the student has confirmed to me that the letter was withdrawn late yesterday night,” he added.
Despite this, reactions to the initial query have fuelled a deeper discussion on freedom of expression, particularly among young Nigerians who are increasingly vocal about their frustrations with economic conditions.
The controversy began on March 27 when a disciplinary letter surfaced online, revealing that Edobor had been accused of making an “unauthorised online publication.” The nursing student had recorded and posted a video of students reacting to the First Lady’s introduction at the Dome Event Centre in Asaba, where she was attending the Renewed Hope Initiative Health Programme.
According to the query, signed by the institution’s provost, Evbodaghe Rita Ogonne, Edobor’s actions violated the student handbook.
“This is a punishable offence as enshrined in the student handbook under standardised disciplinary action for some punishable offences No. 8, Page 21,” the letter stated, demanding that Edobor submit a written explanation within 24 hours or face further disciplinary measures.
In the viral video, the event’s Master of Ceremony introduced Oluremi Tinubu as “everyone’s mother,” prompting students to respond in unison, “Na your mama be this,” a phrase that rejected the First Lady’s symbolic role.
The reaction, which quickly gained traction online, has been linked to growing dissatisfaction among Nigerians, particularly over economic hardship. Inflation has surged, and the cost of basic necessities has become increasingly unaffordable under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
The controversy surrounding the disciplinary query issued to Osato Edobor has been widely interpreted as a reflection of broader societal frustration with the current economic climate.
Nigeria’s inflation rate stood at 23.18% in February 2025, down from 24.48% in January, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). Despite the slight decrease, food inflation remains high at 23.51%, exacerbating the financial strain on households
A 2022 Afrobarometer survey indicated that 84% of young Nigerians (aged 18-35) described the country’s economic condition as “fairly bad” or “very bad,” with 69% rating their personal living conditions negatively.
The same survey found that fewer than one in five young Nigerians approved of the government’s performance in managing the economy (14%) and creating jobs (18%).
Rising costs of essential goods and services have left many Nigerians struggling to meet their daily needs. The frustration has been particularly evident among young people, who have taken to social media to voice their grievances. Analysts suggest that the students’ reaction to the First Lady’s visit may have been influenced by these economic challenges.
For students like Edobor, these economic realities have shaped their perception of political leadership. The rejection of the First Lady’s title as “mother of the nation” is widely interpreted as a symbolic protest against the government’s handling of economic issues.
A similar incident occurred weeks earlier when a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member, Raye Uguamaye, was allegedly threatened by NYSC officials after criticising President Tinubu on social media. Uguamaye had lamented the rising cost of living, noting that a crate of eggs had jumped from ₦800 to ₦6,500 within months.
Her viral post, which resonated with many Nigerians, reportedly led to warnings from NYSC authorities to delete her comments or face consequences.
Following Edobor’s case, many Nigerians took to social media to condemn what they see as an increasing crackdown on free speech.
“This is such a big shame… a supposed democratic government is now under dictatorship,” an X user, PapiWata, wrote.
Another user, Big Daddy, commented, “These people want to silence everyone that has anything to say contrary to what they want. It’s getting worse.”
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The Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) has voiced concerns about the decline of press freedom in Nigeria. On September 15, 2024, The Guardian reported that the CDD highlighted Nigeria’s slipping position on the global press freedom index, emphasizing the need for the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union (AU) to support fragile democracies and uphold democratic norms.
Additionally, the Freedom on the Net 2023 report by Freedom House references a 2022 study from the CDD, which found that state-affiliated groups coordinated disinformation campaigns and operated troll farms aimed at harassing and delegitimizing opposition voices online.
These developments have raised concerns about the state of freedom of expression and the potential chilling effect on civic engagement in Nigeria.
Experts argue that the backlash against Edobor’s video is not an isolated event but part of a broader pattern. Reports from media watchdogs indicate that government authorities have intensified their scrutiny of online discourse. According to Freedom House’s “Freedom on the Net 2024” report, Nigeria’s internet freedom score declined, reflecting increased government surveillance and content removal requests. In 2023 alone, numerous social media accounts were reportedly flagged for “spreading misinformation,” while several journalists and activists faced legal action for online posts critical of government policies.Broader Debate on Free Speech and Digital Activism
Although the Delta State Government has withdrawn Osato Edobor’s query, the incident has reignited national discussions on free speech and digital activism in Nigeria. Advocacy groups have called for stronger legal protections to prevent similar cases of censorship, arguing that disciplinary actions over social media content set a troubling precedent for democratic freedoms.
With social media now a dominant platform for political expression, analysts suggest that youth-driven dissent is unlikely to be silenced. The rapid spread of digital content means incidents like this will continue to shape the national discourse on governance, civil liberties, and accountability.
For Edobor, the controversy may have ended with the withdrawal of her query, but for many Nigerians, the larger debate on free speech, government transparency, and economic hardship remains unresolved.
