Controversial social media activist Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), has responded to criticism from human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, over his invitation to speak at the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) annual conference.
Falana had questioned the NBA’s decision to invite VeryDarkMan as a speaker, arguing that individuals addressing lawyers on specialised issues should possess relevant professional expertise or experience.
The senior lawyer said the NBA, in the past, invited individuals who had established themselves in their respective fields and could engage lawyers intellectually.
He particularly argued that discussions on national security should involve people with demonstrable professional experience in the area.
Reacting in a video shared on his social media platforms on Friday, VeryDarkMan described the criticism surrounding his invitation as a manifestation of “classism.”
According to the activist, Falana’s comments reinforced his belief that his background and social status were responsible for objections to his participation in the conference.
“The problem these people have is that the son of a nobody was invited to come and speak where elites are seated,” VeryDarkMan said.
Defending his participation, Otse argued that his first-hand experiences with insecurity qualified him to contribute to discussions on the subject.
He maintained that his contribution was based not only on theoretical knowledge but also on what he had personally witnessed in recent years.
“Lately in the last few years, I have been present where all these things have happened. I have seen things that a lot of security experts have not seen. This is not about book. It’s not about book. It’s about experience,” he said.
The activist further argued that security concerns affect everyone, regardless of social or economic status, and should therefore not be treated as an issue reserved for a particular class of people.
“Security is for everybody. Security is not for some set of people. And this has been the problem,” he added.
VeryDarkMan also said his appearance at the NBA conference was intended to bring the experiences of ordinary Nigerians affected by insecurity to the attention of influential professionals.
“I spoke on behalf of the poor masses. I spoke on behalf of the poor people. I spoke on behalf of the people that don’t have a voice,” he said.
The activist admitted that he was surprised by Falana’s position, given the lawyer’s reputation as a prominent human rights advocate.
“I wasn’t expecting this angle from Femi Falana SAN, but well, it is what it is,” Otse stated.