A fresh controversy has erupted in Delta State over what many believe is a politically motivated academic punishment meted out to Osato Edobor, a top-performing final-year student of the Delta State College of Nursing, Asaba, following a viral TikTok video linked to an event attended by Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.
In March 2025, during the First Lady’s visit to the state capital as part of her Renewed Hope Initiative healthcare outreach, a video surfaced online showing students at the venue mockingly rejecting a politically charged chant led by Pastor Tos Powell Ojogho, Executive Assistant to the Governor and Master of Ceremony. While the official urged the crowd to echo the phrase “Na our Mama be this o,” referring to the First Lady, the students shouted back “Na your mama be this.”
The light-hearted but defiant response quickly gained traction online, sparking debate and criticism. Shortly after the video went viral, Edobor, identified as one of the students in the clip, was reportedly issued a disciplinary query by the school and later declared to have failed her final exams—despite having a consistent record of academic excellence since enrollment.
Sources close to the college allege the move is a veiled act of political retaliation. “This is a clear case of punishment masked as an academic failure,” a senior lecturer familiar with the case told our correspondent. “Osato has always ranked among the best in her class. It’s hard to see this as anything but a political witch-hunt.”
A disciplinary letter issued by the Provost of the College, Mrs. Evbodaghe Rita Ogonne, dated March 27, accused Edobor of “malicious conduct” for filming and sharing the event on social media while in uniform. The letter cited page 21 of the student handbook—though without referencing a specific rule violated—and further accused her of making disrespectful comments about both the First Lady and Governor Sheriff Oborevwori.
“She insulted the governor and said if she had a gun, she would have bombed people,” the Provost reportedly stated. However, the video evidence circulating online tells a different story. In a clip filmed by Edobor during the students’ journey to the event venue, she is heard joking in pidgin about security procedures and the unfamiliarity of the school anthem. “Make una no bomb Tinubu wife o, because if una do, we for don bomb am,” she said sarcastically. Observers note the remark was figurative and made in jest, not a literal threat.
Critics have condemned the institution’s actions, pointing out several procedural flaws in the disciplinary process:
The query failed to identify any specific regulation prohibiting students from recording or posting on social media.
The allegation of a “malicious act” lacks legal basis and intent.
Edobor was reportedly not given a fair hearing before being sanctioned.
The letter’s grammar and structure have drawn criticism for lacking professionalism and clarity.
“This is not just about Osato Edobor,” said a civil rights advocate based in Asaba. “It’s about whether our educational institutions will uphold freedom of expression or become instruments of political control. Today it’s Osato, tomorrow it could be any student who dares to speak freely.”
In response to public pressure, the Delta State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Joseph Onojaeme, had earlier intervened by ordering the withdrawal of the disciplinary query. He also assured that no student would suffer victimization over the matter. However, with Edobor’s final results now showing failure, many believe the punishment simply took another form.
Efforts to reach Dr. Onojaeme and the State Commissioner for Information, Mr. Charles Aniagwu, for official comment were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report, as messages sent to both officials went unanswered.
As the situation continues to draw public scrutiny, Nigerians across social and civil society spaces are demanding a thorough and transparent review of the incident, calling for justice and accountability to ensure that the educational system does not become a tool for silencing dissent.