VeryDarkMan, School Children Protest FCT Teachers’ Strike at Wike’s Office

By Iyojo Ameh

Social media activist Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), on Monday led a symbolic protest at the gate of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister’s office, demanding action over the prolonged strike by primary school teachers in the territory.

Dressed in a complete school uniform and accompanied by a group of school children, the controversial online personality turned the minister’s entrance into a mock classroom in a bold act of defiance. VDM conducted a symbolic teaching session, reciting letters of the alphabet with satirical references to top political figures.

“S for Suegbe, T for Tinubu, W for Wike,” he chanted, as the children echoed his words—an unmistakable jab at the federal and local governments for their perceived inaction over the crisis.

The protest comes amid a teachers’ strike that began on March 24, 2025, triggered by the refusal of Area Council Chairmen to implement the new national minimum wage of ₦70,000 for primary school teachers. The strike, led by the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), FCT chapter, has paralyzed academic activities in public primary schools across the six Area Councils—Abaji, Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje, Kwali, and Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC).

The union has consistently accused the council chairmen of insensitivity and failure to prioritize education, despite multiple meetings and ultimatums.

When approached by reporters for comment, VeryDarkMan declined to speak further, insisting that the protest site at the minister’s gate would remain the children’s new classroom until the authorities respond to the teachers’ demands.

The FCT Minister, Mr. Nyesom Wike, is yet to issue an official response to the protest or the ongoing strike.