Rufai Oseni Backtracks After Abike Dabiri-Erewa Confrontation Over False Social Media Claims

A moment of tense exchange unfolded on October 23, 2025, during the “Ethics of Governance” event held at Eko Hotels, Lagos, as media personality Rufai Oseni found himself confronted by Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman/CEO of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), over a misleading social media post that had sparked controversy months earlier.

Rufai Oseni arrived late to the panel session themed “The Ethics of Governance” and had just completed his remarks before greeting guests, including Hon. Dabiri-Erewa. The latter immediately addressed Oseni about a widely circulated post he shared on X (formerly Twitter) that falsely accused her of referring to the Igbo ethnic group as “monkeys and gorillas.”

In the face of the accusation, Rufai Oseni denied any involvement or knowledge of such damaging statements. Hon. Dabiri-Erewa pressed him further, clarifying that the offensive slurs were actually made by a different account named “Voice of Igbo,” reportedly owned by a Lagos-based woman who used derogatory terms like “mother ape” and “bigot” against her. Oseni maintained that he was unaware of these details.

Dabiri-Erewa, emphasizing journalistic responsibility, admonished Oseni—himself a journalist with Arise Television—for relying on unverified sources and platforms riddled with misinformation. The atmosphere grew increasingly charged, with other notable figures present, including veteran broadcaster John Momoh and Mahmud Alli Balogun, witnessing the exchange.

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As the panel session commenced, Oseni appeared visibly uncomfortable and discreetly exited the event, leaving unresolved tensions in his wake.

This incident ties back to a previous contentious episode where Dabiri-Erewa came under severe backlash for amplifying a social media post containing ethnic slurs against Igbos, describing them as “monkeys” and “children of gorillas.” While she did not originate the post, her reposting with laughing emojis was widely seen as endorsing the divisive rhetoric, aggravating ethnic sensitivities in Nigeria.

The confrontation at Eko Hotels highlights the growing challenge of misinformation and the ethical imperatives expected of public figures and journalists in handling social media narratives responsibly to avoid inflaming ethnic discord in a diverse nation already sensitive to such issues.