Oluwafemi Popoola
Oh, how the mighty have fallen or should we say, how they continue to fall without ever landing in a ministerial chair? Reno Omokri, that unyielding social media gladiator, staunch “voice of the people,” and former PDP loyalist (we’ll come back to that part), has once again managed to miss a spot on President Bola Tinubu’s adjusted ministerial list.
One might expect that after tirelessly defending the APC administration’s policies and bending over backwards to justify the sheer weight of suffering Nigerians are enduring, Omokri would have been given at least a pat on the back from the current government. But no, not even a glance in his direction.
How heart-wrenching it must be to watch your comrades climb up the political ladder, while you, Reno Omokri, the self-proclaimed defender of truth and fairness (in your head), remain stuck on the outside, vigorously typing away on your phone, desperately trying to trend on X (formerly Twitter). How is it possible that a man so devoted to defending the APC government and praising President Bola Tinubu to high heavens could be left off such an important list?
Let’s not forget the irony of it all. For years, Reno has portrayed himself as an “uncompromising” PDP operative. We remember his undying devotion to Atiku Abubakar, the perennial presidential aspirant. Omokri, the “Atikulated” soldier, fighting the good fight for his boss against the APC juggernaut. But then, a strange metamorphosis occurred. Suddenly, the opposition party’s sharpest mouthpiece began defending the very policies he once derided. One minute, he’s telling us that APC policies are ruining Nigeria; the next, he’s explaining to Nigerians why Tinubu’s policies are the bitter pills we all need to swallow.
Did Reno think Nigerians wouldn’t notice the flip-flop? Oh, we noticed. We noticed his swift transformation from a critic of bad governance to an apologist for an administration that has led the nation into unprecedented hardship. When the average Nigerian can barely afford a loaf of bread, Omokri is busy telling us that we must embrace these “sacrifices” for the greater good. The only sacrifice here is his credibility, and, clearly, that wasn’t even enough to secure a ministerial post.
Perhaps the most delicious irony here is that Omokri’s campaign of digital bootlicking hasn’t earned him the recognition he so clearly craves. After all that online footwork as if he’s some moral compass of our time, he didn’t even make the ministerial cut. Poor Reno. One would think that such passionate loyalty would count for something. But no, not in Tinubu’s Nigeria. Perhaps someone in Aso Rock realized that a man who can so easily flip sides might not be the most trustworthy addition to the cabinet. Just a thought.
So, dear Reno, we sympathize with you. You’ve worked so hard, typing day and night, defending policies that even your past self would have scoffed at. Yet here you are, still without a coveted title or an office in Abuja. Maybe next time. After all, you’re a veteran in the political trenches. Surely, there’s a consolation prize somewhere—perhaps an appointment as the minister of tweets?
For now, enjoy your status as the loudest cheerleader in the stands. You may not be on the field with the big boys, but hey, someone has to stay on the sidelines and defend the game, right?
