- Legal practitioner and author Timothy Tugbiyele has publicly urged Afrobeats star David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, to tender an apology to Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo after publishing the governor’s alleged secondary school certificate online.
- The social media retaliation followed remarks made by Governor Okpebholo during an All Progressives Congress campaign rally in Osun State, where he mocked Governor Ademola Adeleke over his frequent dancing and governance approach.
- Legal experts and political analysts argue that public figures must exercise restraint, noting that personal academic records should not be used as weapons for ridicule during political campaigns.
A prominent legal practitioner and author, Timothy Tugbiyele, has formally called on international Afrobeats star David Adeleke, widely known as Davido, to tender an unreserved apology to Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, following a controversial social media exchange involving the governor’s academic credentials.
Eko Hot Blog reports that the call came through a viral video broadcast uploaded on Facebook, where Tugbiyele addressed the rising political temperature and heated exchanges ahead of the upcoming August 15 Osun State governorship election.
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The controversy erupted after Davido shared what appeared to be Governor Okpebholo’s West African Examinations Council (WAEC) result on his official Instagram Stories without attaching any written caption.
The singer’s social media post was widely interpreted as a direct response to comments made by Governor Okpebholo during an All Progressives Congress (APC) mega campaign rally held in Osun State.
At the political gathering organized to support APC candidate Bola Oyebamiji, Governor Okpebholo publicly criticized Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke,who is Davido’s uncle, mocking his well-known passion for dancing and suggesting that it distracted him from state administration duties.
Okpebholo remarked that the Osun governor routinely dances before signing official documents, eating meals, or traveling, questioning whether residents were not tired of four years of such leadership.
In swift defense of his uncle, Davido posted the document showing academic grades, which sparked immediate debates across various social media platforms.
Commenting on the incident, Tugbiyele noted that while Governor Okpebholo’s alleged secondary school performance may not have been stellar, using a public figure’s past academic results to mock or demean them is fundamentally inappropriate and disrespectful.
Tugbiyele emphasized that political disagreements should remain between political contemporaries rather than dragging family members or entertainment figures into direct confrontation.
He noted that if Governor Adeleke wished to address his fellow governor’s comments, such a response should have come through official channels, such as the state commissioner for information or a media assistant, rather than through a personal attack launched by an artist nephew.
Furthermore, the legal practitioner stressed that public officials and celebrated cultural figures occupy distinct societal positions, warning that engaging in below-the-belt attacks lowers the standard of political discourse.
Tugbiyele pointed out that Davido, as a well-reared Yoruba man who has demonstrated respect toward elders in the past, should demonstrate humility by acknowledging the misstep and apologizing to Governor Okpebholo.
He rejected the notion that “everything is fair in politics,” arguing that cultural values of respect for authority and age must be preserved regardless of political rivalries.
Drawing from personal life experiences, Tugbiyele shared that an individual’s early academic struggles do not dictate their ultimate potential or success in life, highlighting that Governor Okpebholo’s journey to becoming a state governor proves that past academic shortcomings can be overcome through perseverance.
As political activities reach a fever pitch across Osun State, stakeholders continue to advocate for peaceful campaigns and issues-based debates over personal animosity.
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