Sister I was raised in the village I no dey hear phonetics, speak regular English” – Nigerian Minister Of Works David Umahi to Arise news correspondent Laila Johnson-Salami
Arise News correspondent Laila Johnson-Salami confronted Senator David Umahi regarding the environmental impact assessment of the Lagos-Calabar Highway Project, questioning whether the project had obtained final approval from the Federal Ministry of Environment or if an exemption had been granted.
Umahi’s response, characterized by attempts to trivialize the inquiry and garner laughter from the audience, drew criticism.
Observers noted a pattern of arrogance among Nigerian politicians and speculated that Umahi might not adopt the same dismissive attitude with foreign journalists.
The incident reignited conversations about the quality of leadership in Nigeria, with sentiments expressing fatigue and disappointment with the current state of governance.