0
0
On June 22, social critic Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), led a protest outside the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Ministry, demanding an end to the ongoing strike by primary school teachers in Abuja.
VDM gathered schoolchildren dressed in their uniforms at the ministry’s gate and conducted a satirical open-air class, teaching the alphabet with a twist. “S for Suegbe, T for Tinubu, W for Wike,” he chanted, with the children echoing his words.
The strike, which began on March 24, 2025, is a result of Area Council Chairmen’s failure to implement the new national minimum wage of ₦70,000. This prolonged industrial action has left public school pupils without classes for over 90 days, with no resolution in sight.
During the demonstration, Bitrus Garki, Mandate Secretary of the Area Councils Services Secretariat, addressed the crowd, explaining that the core issue lies with the FCT Area Councils. However, the FCT Administration, led by Minister Nyesom Wike, has been actively mediating the conflict.
“The FCT administration has been intervening in Area Council matters,” Garki said. “Although this responsibility primarily rests with the Area Councils, because this is the state government, we step in to help resolve issues, not just in schools but also in infrastructure and other areas.”
VDM issued a seven-day ultimatum to the FCT Administration, warning that if no action is taken and students remain out of school, a larger protest involving pupils from across the FCT will follow.
“We have decided to give them a week. If they don’t act and the children are not back in school, we will invite students from all over the FCT to join us,” he declared.
VDM also announced plans to protest next over the strike by primary healthcare workers, who are also yet to receive the new minimum wage.
“Today is for the students. Next, we will protest for primary healthcare workers. This is just so Minister Wike can see and remember. We’re not fighting him personally; he’s been under pressure, nearly fell from a plane, and is busy preparing for the 2027 elections, but he seems to have forgotten this issue,” VDM said.
