Controversial social media critic and influencer, Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), on Monday staged a protest at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister’s gate in Abuja over the lingering strike by primary school teachers in the Territory.
The protest, which attracted public attention, saw VDM dressed in a school uniform as he demonstrated alongside a group of school children outside the office of the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike. The influencer also took the opportunity to teach the children the English alphabet in a satirical manner.
“A for Asiwaju, B for Bola, T for Tinubu, W for Wike,” he chanted loudly, as the children watched.
Public primary school teachers across the six area councils of the FCT have been on strike since March 24, 2025, following the failure of the Area Council Chairmen to implement the newly approved national minimum wage of ₦70,000. The industrial action, which has now extended beyond three months, has forced thousands of pupils to remain at home, with no academic activities taking place and no immediate resolution in sight.
Addressing the protesters at the scene, Bitrus Garki, Mandate Secretary of the Area Councils Services Secretariat, admitted that the situation was rooted in the responsibilities of the Area Council authorities, but assured that the FCT Administration was not turning a blind eye to the crisis.
“The FCT administration has been intervening in Area Council matters,” Garki explained. “This responsibility is largely the responsibility of the Area Councils. But because this is the state and we also have a relationship with the local government, that is why we come in to intervene in many cases, not just schools, including infrastructure, and many other things.”
He further disclosed that discussions were ongoing with major stakeholders such as the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), as well as traditional rulers, in an effort to end the strike.
“I can’t stand here and say this is when it is going to end,” Garki said. “But I can tell you that the administration is working closely… and we have received your message loud and clear.”
Garki pleaded for patience from the demonstrators and the general public, stressing that the FCT Minister was actively engaging the Area Council Chairmen to fulfill their obligations so that pupils could return to school without further delay.
VDM issued a seven-day ultimatum to the FCT Administration, warning that a more massive protest involving children from all parts of the Territory would follow if urgent action was not taken.
“We have decided to give them a week,” VDM declared. “If they don’t do anything and the children are not back in school, we will invite students from the whole FCT to come.”
Taking to his Instagram page on Monday, VDM shared a video of the protest along with a strongly worded message highlighting the plight of the affected school children.
“For the past 9 weeks and counting all the public primary schools in the federal capital territory Abuja have been on strike. Because of internal problem surrounding the payment of minimum wage. For this reason these public schools kids have to suffer. As a matter of fact they have missed out on last term examinations. The teachers won’t work and so the schools are locked. The government promised to pay 70,000 naira for minimum wage and above 70,000 naira based on their promotional levels.”
“I decided to bring them out to the FCTA and use the entrance as their new school hopefully the government will remember them. So for now this is our new school. I am certain the government officials will not care because their kids don’t go to the public schools. Most of them don’t even study in Nigeria……this is not what @officialasiwajubat promised the Nigerian people….TO THE HONORABLE MINISTER OF FCT please open our public schools. I have heard you call them the leaders of tomorrow how will they lead tomorrow without basic education?,” VDM wrote.
