Comedian Efe Warriboy Slams Benue Governor for Public Holiday Amid Mourning
Popular comedian Efe Warriboy didn’t hold back in criticizing Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia for declaring Wednesday, June 18, a public holiday to welcome President Bola Tinubu, even as the state is still reeling from the recent tragic massacre in Yelewata.
The Benue State government announced the public holiday in a statement released by the Secretary to the State Government, Serumun Deborah Ambe, urging residents to turn out in large numbers to greet the president during his one-day visit.
In a video shared on his Instagram page, Efe Warriboy called the governor’s move a slap in the face to the grieving people of Benue. He said, “I’m trying not to be rude here, but honestly, it’s tough. What’s happening in Benue shows that once you hold power in Nigeria—whether you’re a Reverend Father or Senior Pastor—a demon seems to take over. And if you join APC, it only gets worse. PDP? Same story.”
He continued, “Just imagine declaring a public holiday to welcome President Tinubu during a time when the state should be in mourning. People just lost family members, and the governor is telling them to celebrate a presidential visit. A man lost 20 relatives, yet the governor’s priority is the president’s welcome. Is the president coming to commission a project or to pay respects to the dead?”
Efe Warriboy didn’t mince words about the political games at play, saying, “Governor Alia is playing politics with the lives of Benue people, trying to keep his political masters happy for a 2027 re-election ticket. How else do you explain this nonsense? Over 200 people have been killed recently, and you want the mourning families to welcome the president?”
He added, “Even if politicians lack conscience or have some secret deal to reduce Nigeria’s population, they shouldn’t rub it in the faces of the people. It’s starting to look like that. I miss former Governor Samuel Ortom, who was vocal about the killings. Now it’s Alia’s turn, and as a Reverend Father, people expected impartiality, but he’s let many down.”