Aremu Afolayan, the Nigerian actor, has apologised following backlash over his recent comments on the country’s insecurity.
Speaking at a political event on
Sunday, Afolayan appeared to play down Nigeria’s insecurity and economic
struggles, saying he had not personally experienced the hardships.
He voiced support for President Bola Tinubu’s leadership,
crediting him with lifting the UAE ban — a move he said benefited his car
business — while seemingly dismissing reports of insecurity as exaggerated.
“When people say the country is hard, I don’t really
understand what they mean since I’m not an entrepreneur. I have tried working,
but I realised it wasn’t for me, so I started a car business. At some point,
due to the dollar and naira exchange rate, I was losing money,” he said.
“When the UAE banned Nigerians from entering their country,
President Tinubu went there, met with their president, and helped lift the ban.
I was very happy at the time because it helped my business.
“Nigeria has many problems, but many Nigerians seem more
focused on criticising him than appreciating his efforts. The good work
President Tinubu is doing is why I support him. He is trying to unite
Nigerians. And when you hear news about insurgency, don’t mind it — it’s all
scripted.”
The remarks drew sharp criticism on social media, with many
accusing the actor of being out of touch and suggesting he was paid to make the
statements.
In response, Afolayan took to Instagram to
apologise, denying any payment from political groups and expressing regret over
the uproar.
He said his words had been misinterpreted, acknowledging the
country’s security challenges and clarifying that he had intended to call out
those who deny insecurity.
He also announced that he would be distancing himself from
politics and standing with the public.
“To all Nigerians, please forgive me. I’m very sorry. The
curse you guys are raining on me is too much. There is a narrative that I took
money from the party. I didn’t take money from anyone,” he said.
“It’s obvious that there’s insecurity and the government
isn’t doing anything. What I was trying to say is, don’t believe anyone who is
saying there’s no insecurity in the news because they are reading a script.
“My best friend’s mother was kidnapped and we paid ransom;
how would I say there’s no insecurity? I am very sober to you guys because you
supported me during my career as an actor as well as my businesses; it wasn’t
the government who did.
“I’m sorry. I actually went to the gathering because it
allowed us to hold our local government chairman accountable, not the other way
round. I am withdrawing myself from anything that has to do with politics, and
I am standing with you, people.”
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