- Activists to Tinubu: Save Nigeria’s Image, Kick Him Out
By Abiola Olawale
The Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, has faced widespread public criticism and media censure due to several grammatical inaccuracies that he committed while speaking during a television interview with Channels TV on Monday.
These appalling and indeed highly egregious errors have sparked significant debate and scrutiny regarding not only the minister’s English credentials but also fueled calls on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to sack Matawalle as minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria “in order to save the image of our dear country from global opprobrium.”
In a viral video, Matawalle, a two-term governor of Zamfara, was heard saying ” let me remember you, don’t angry me” instead of ” let me remind you…” and “Don’t be angry with me.”
The Minister said this while reacting to accusations that he allegedly sponsored bandits and terrorists during his time as the governor of Zamfara State.
He said: “And let me remember you, when I was the governor, I was the only governor that swore with the Holy Quran that I have no hand or connections with banditry…”
During the interview, the former also said “people doesn’t” instead of “people don’t”
According to him: “People doesn’t fear God, they think that this is the end of it…”
This has generated massive reactions from Nigerians, who have begun to question Matawalle’s educational background and indeed his eligibility to be a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Even eminent Professionals and politicians are deeply appalled. For instance, Senator Femi Ojudu, a respected veteran journalist and politician shared the video on his Facebook page, pinpointing the egregious grammatical errors.
In addition, below are some of the reactions curated from social media:
“I still wonder and ask myself: how did the likes of Matawalle pass the ministerial screening, while people like El-Rufai failed? This is the consequence of the “bow and go” they practice in the Senate.”(@AM_Saleeeem)
“Let Me Remember You”
Matawalle 2024″(@DUWAN3POINT0)
“Let me remember you (sic), this is the Honourable Minister of Defence (State), Federal Republic of Nigeria!”(@Chuks Akunna)
“He says ‘they doesn’t like me’, ‘let me remember you’. God help us. Why did Obasanjo, Yardua and especially Jonathan get sound people as ministers and Buhari and Tinubu could not”(@Glo)
