Former presidential aide Reno Omokri has strongly condemned what he described as hasty efforts by Nigerians on social media to portray the country negatively following Monday’s road accident involving British-Nigerian boxing champion Anthony Joshua on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
The incident, which occurred in Ogun State and claimed two lives, has sparked international media attention, with several foreign outlets quoting Nigerian social media users who alleged a lack of emergency response at the scene.
Omokri, in a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday, expressed concern that unverified claims were being amplified globally, damaging Nigeria’s reputation before full details of the incident emerged.
“Instead of de-marketing Nigeria, why don’t you and I wait for the full details of what occurred to our beloved boxing champion before making dramatic and damaging statements whose veracity we cannot be sure of?” Omokri stated.
He pointed out that international news organisations as far as India and Australia had picked up allegations from Nigerian social media users, with some describing the accident scene as evidence of a “failed state.”
According to Omokri, eyewitnesses at the scene began assisting Joshua within two minutes of the accident, before professional first responders arrived. He disputed widely circulated claims on social media suggesting it took an hour for help to arrive, stating that Joshua was transported close to a hospital within minutes.
The former presidential aide revealed that the two fatalities in the accident were foreign nationals who suffered immediate trauma from the collision itself, rather than from any delay in emergency response.
“How is that the fault of emergency response personnel? I see no blame for Nigeria in this! But I will still wait for the full official statement,” Omokri said, urging Nigerians to exercise patience before passing judgement on emergency services.
To provide context, Omokri drew comparisons with emergency response times in developed countries. He cited the 1997 death of Princess Diana in Paris, where it took 101 minutes to transport her to hospital following a car accident, and a similar delay involving Spanish footballer Diogo Jota.
“Please be patriotic and wait for an official statement before hastily crucifying Nigeria,” he appealed, warning against repeating past mistakes in misrepresenting the country’s emergency response capabilities.
The accident occurred on Monday morning on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, a major highway connecting Nigeria’s commercial capital, Lagos, to other parts of the country. According to reports from the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), speeding and wrongful overtaking were identified as contributing factors to the crash.
An aide to the Ogun State Governor confirmed that two foreign nationals died in the accident, while Joshua sustained injuries but survived. The boxer, who holds dual British-Nigerian citizenship and has maintained strong ties to Nigeria throughout his career, was travelling on the expressway when the incident occurred.
The Lagos-Ibadan Expressway has been a focal point of road safety concerns in recent years, with the Federal Government undertaking reconstruction work to improve its condition and reduce accidents. Despite these efforts, the road continues to witness frequent accidents, often attributed to factors including speeding, poor vehicle maintenance, and driver error.
Omokri’s intervention highlights a broader debate about how Nigerians discuss their country on international platforms, particularly social media. Critics of what has been termed “de-marketing” argue that hasty, unverified claims shared online can damage the country’s image and deter investment and tourism, whilst others maintain that highlighting systemic failures is necessary to drive improvement.
The former presidential aide’s call for restraint comes amid heightened sensitivity about Nigeria’s global perception, particularly regarding infrastructure and emergency services. Successive governments have invested in improving emergency response capabilities across the country, though challenges remain in ensuring rapid, coordinated responses, especially on busy highways.
Emergency response systems in Nigeria have evolved over the years, with various state governments establishing dedicated agencies and the Federal Road Safety Corps enhancing its rapid response mechanisms. However, the effectiveness of these services continues to vary across different regions and circumstances.
