Social media have, since Thursday, been inundated with threads of scathing criticism against a one-time Nollywood actor and a current Lagos lawmaker, Desmond Elliot, over his submission during a plenary session at the state House of Assembly about the carnage that trailed the #EndSARS protest.
The lawmaker had, while speaking on the floor of the House, pushed for social media regulation, even as he blamed Nigerian celebrities and social media influencers for promoting hate speech in the country.
Referring to Nigerian youths as ‘children’, Elliot said he didn’t believe that they could be bold to insult their leaders on social media following the Lekki incident of October 20, 2020.
Some Nigerians took to the social media to express their reservations over the comments.
According to Kemi Lala Akindoju @lalaakindoju “Honestly I’m more than disappointed in Desmond Elliot. I’m so shocked.
“Anyway, we have been praying that God should expose the real state of mind of our leaders.
“Now we know how he really processes things.
“I pray the people he looks forward to representing in 2023 remember today.”
Unu Amaro Kam Siri Kwado @AfamDeluxo said: “To be honest, I think Nigerian Youths especially those in Lagos should mobilize and see if they can recall Desmond Elliot & Mrs Mojisola Alli-Macauley from the House.
“We need to use these two clowns for example so clowns in other State House of Assembly will sit up.”
Dr PamPam | Omo Iya Ologi @UnclePamilerin said: “Desmond Elliot should put that his apologies inside his agbada. We are wiser now.
“We know what you are capable of and we don’t trust him no more.
“2023 is just around the corner. All of us will not die before then by Gods grace. Somebody should share the grace.”
Monice @Mohnice_ said: “Hon. Desmond Elliot, you can’t go & report me to my father at home that u have been seeing me in a club & come back to apologise to me in the same club.
“Go back & stand before my father & render me my apology then it will be accepted.
“Go to the Assembly & apologize not twitter”.
Somto Onuchukwu @chosensomto said: “Desmond Elliot thinks he’s better than the hoodlums looting shops because he wears agbada and cap to do his own looting?”
On his part, Reno Omokri @renoomokri lamented: “1.5 million Nigerian youths still follow Desmond Elliot.
“It is either 1.What he said about Nigerian youths is true, or 2.Nigerian youths do not know who their leaders are.
“How can youths follow someone with such a low impression of them?”
Apology
Succumbing to the attack on social media platforms, the lawmaker tendered an apology to Nigerians in a statement which reads thus:
“I have read your honest feedback & suggestions & I sincerely apologize for addressing the youth as “Children”.
“I did not mean to be insensitive with this, it was borne out of the magnitude of destruction & looting of businesses I witnessed when I went on a tour of my constituency
“I saw women crying and my constituent members distraught as a result of the damages inflicted on their source of livelihood.
“I was moved by this while giving my submission on the floor of the House.
“I allowed my emotions get the better of me and for this I apologize to everyone my earlier statements may have hurt.
“Please, understand that even the best of us make mistakes.
“This is why, moving forward, I ask that we all try to engage constructively on the issues that affect all of us. I promise to do the same.
“The pain that I feel for my constituents, the calls for assistance that I continue to get, and the need to mitigate against further destruction and violence will continue to drive my engagements and my work.
“I thank you all for expressing your views, and in the future, I promise to be more conscious and aware.
“Together, we will build a better Nigeria.”
