Human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has criticised the Delta State College of Nursing Sciences for issuing a query to a Student Nurse, Osato Edobor, for what it called ‘ malicious act of recording/singing and posting unofficial response’ to the song to welcome the First Lady Remi Tinubu to the school, on her TikTok and Facebook pages.
The development arose following the visit of the Wife of the President to the institution earlier in the week on Tuesday as part of the Renewed Hope Initiative Health Programme and distribution of 10,000 Professional Kits. During the event at the Dome Event Center, Asaba, students were expected to chant “Na our mama be this o, we no get another one” in response to a song to welcome the First Lady of Nigeria to the event.
However, a section of the students instead responded with “Na your mama be this oo ehh…,” an apparent rejection of Mrs Tinubu by the students, a development which quickly went viral on social media.
In reaction to the video’s circulation, the school authorities issued a disciplinary query to the student nurse, accusing her of engaging in a “malicious act” by engaging in unauthorised recording and posting of the footage on social media.
The query, dated March 27, 2025, and signed by the Provost, Mrs. Evbodaghe Rita Ogonne, stated: “It has come to the notice of the school authority that you, Student Nurse Osato Edobor, on the 25th of March, 2025, during the official visit of the First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, CON, at Dome Event Center, Asaba, for the Renewed Hope Initiative Health Programme and distribution of 10,000 Professional Kits (Crocs and Scrubs) to Midwives in each Geopolitical Zone of Nigeria South South Zone, was found to be engaged in a malicious act of recording/singing and posting an unofficial response to a song during the arrival of the First Lady (found on your TikTok Page). This is a punishable offence as enshrined in the Student Handbook under standardised disciplinary action for some punishable offences No. 8, Page 21.”
The school directed Edobor to provide a written explanation in triplicate within 24 hours, justifying why disciplinary action should not be taken against her.
But, reacting to the development on Friday morning via his Facebook page, Activist Sowore condemned the school’s action, describing it as an attempt to repress free expression under the current administration.
“The audacious nursing school students who suitably rejected Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s wife, Senator Remi Tinubu, in that ‘Na Your Mama Be This’ song ought to be celebrated, but as is characteristic of this Tinubu repressive era, one of them is being targeted for sharing this charming rendition on her TikTok page.”
Sowore further vowed to support the embattled student legally and physically, stating: “We will be providing backing to this lady with all our physical and legal might to ensure the authorities at Delta State College of Nursing Sciences do not perpetrate this egregious act of injustice, as an injury to one is an injury to all.”
