Prominent social commentator, Charles Awuzie, has stirred fresh debate about activist-turned-politician, Deji Adeyanju, describing him as “smart, strategic and deeply political,” while urging Nigerians not to overlook serious allegations from his past.
Awuzie, in a piece made available to Premier News, recalled Adeyanju’s undergraduate days at Bayero University, Kano, where he was linked to a controversial murder case that kept him in court for four years before he was eventually cleared. He argued that the activist’s ability to rebrand himself as the “voice of the voiceless” despite the weight of such allegations showed a high level of political calculation.
Quoting an old associate of Adeyanju, Awuzie wrote: “Deji is so smart that he has successfully programmed even intelligent people never to ask questions about the alleged disappearance of that murder case.”
According to him, Adeyanju’s strategy has been to immerse himself in activism, including multiple arrests and jail terms, so that a search of his name online would highlight only his clashes with government, not past allegations. Awuzie claimed this was further reinforced by Adeyanju’s alliance with controversial activist VeryDarkMan (VDM), a relationship which, he said, has benefitted Deji more than his partner.
On Adeyanju’s political choices, Awuzie insisted that loyalty plays a strong role. He noted that Barrister Festus Keyamo, now Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, played a critical role in Adeyanju’s freedom during his legal battles. “Deji may be many things, but he is not an ingrate. He has never betrayed anyone who helped him. He has every right to align with Keyamo’s party after all, that was the man who saved him,” Awuzie stated.
He further suggested that Adeyanju would likely support former Vice President Atiku Abubakar if he secures the ADC ticket, describing Atiku as the “chief saviour of Deji’s political destiny,” with Keyamo as the “assistant saviour.”
On Labour Party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, Awuzie noted that Adeyanju and others in his circle may not be comfortable with Obi’s frugal approach. “Obi even declared that he would not give anyone ‘shishi,’ and you think cashtivists are happy with that?” he asked.
Awuzie concluded by warning Nigerians not to be blinded by activist branding, stressing that political loyalty and personal survival often drive the actions of public figures like Adeyanju.
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