The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Doyin Okupe, on Friday thumped his chest over his rich background, saying he has never known poverty in his life and apparently does not understand what it means to be poor.
“I have never been poor,” Mr. Okupe boasted on twitter during a discussion on the recent comment by the President of the World Bank, Jim Yong Kim, who said the largest chunk of the world’s poorest people are concentrated in Nigeria and four other countries. “My father was one of the richest of his time. He even owned a bank. I qualified a doctor and a successful one.”
Mr. Okupe (@doyinokupe) had taken to Twitter to disparage media reporting of Mr. Kim’s comment, claiming that the World Bank’s President did not classify Nigeria as poor.
The presidential spokesperson made the claim even when the full transcript of Mr. Kim’s address at the Council For Foreign Relations, where he made the speech, is available in text, audio and video.
“World Bank recently classified Nigeria as a medium income economy,” Mr. Okupe argued. “How on earth can World Bank classify China the second largest world economy as extremely poor?”
But some of his followers, apparently irritated by his argument, quickly took him to task, asking him whether, without being told, he did not know that poverty is widespread and endemic in Nigeria.
“Nigeria or China as a nation is not poor but 80% of Nigerian citizens are poor. Are you such disconnected from the society?” a London-based economist, Ike Okeke (@comradop), asked.
Mr. Okupe responded by saying, “I have never been poor. My father was one of the richest of his time. He even owned a bank. I qualified a doctor and a successful one.”
Mr. Okeke then shot back saying Mr. Okupe could have inherited a fortune from his parents but that not many Nigerians were that lucky.
“No doubts about your generational wealth but how many Nigerians are privileged like you? The report (on the World Bank President’s comment) is a call for more work by government,” the economist said.
The presidential aide responded, “It is well taken. Just believe me when I tell you that this president is grossly underestimated. Everything is being done to turn things around.”
Before getting into the exchanges with Mr. Okeke, Mr. Okupe had raged in a series of tweets, accusing the Nigerian media of distorting news items to disparage the President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.
He claimed that the administration was doing excellently well, buildings railways and roads and repositioning the economy.
At a point, one Seun Ejiade (@ejiadeoluseun) challenged him to stop whining, and rather go to central Lagos, which has a large population of poor people, to test his popularity.
“Shut up and let’s have some peace,” Mr. Ejiade said. “Stop with the lies, like we don’t live in 9ja?#hiss. Go to Obalende with your drivel and see the reception you get.
“Instead of addressing issues dogging us in Nigeria, like unemployment, you choose to tweet about World Board’s assertions. And you are supposed to advise GEJ?”
That comment apparently irked Mr. Okupe, who charged back: “You hate the truth and facts irritate you. You are a shame to your generation. You cannot be part of the future we hope for. Mr. big mouth.”
Mr. Ejiade responded by saying, “I’m a part of the future which you are not going to be in…. why? Cos you would be dead.”
As the discussions progressed, another of Mr. Okupe’s followers asked him to disclose how much he earns in salary and allowances.
A Mr. Alapata 2.0 (@BolajiBolaji2) said, “Please sir, can you tell us about your salary and allowances for the sake of transparency and accountability? Thank you.”
Mr. Okupe answered, “I don’t have a special salary. I am a senior special assistance (sic) (SSA) to the president. Write to SGF (Secretary to the Government of the Federation). You ‘ll get what SSA is paid.”
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Mr. Okupe or whatever u call ursef, how can u say dat wat d world bank chief said is not true. Are u not a Nigerian or did u fall from moon into dis country? Even if u have never tasted poverty in ur life based on d wealth of parents ( dat is if it was not embezzled from our national treasury) u shud have a least seen d number of applicants dat came 4 d NIS recruitment exercise, or may b u shud go to d north n ask d Almajeriz or even cum 2 Ijegun Lagos state n many more.
ReplyDeleteIt is actually a shame dat sum1 like u who doesn't know anything cud b advising d president . U shud even b ashamed 2 say u have never tasted poverty wen average Nigerian is impoverished. Y can't our leaders be sensitive n sensible.
U c Mr. Special adviser remember no condition is permanent, u may not have tasted poverty but God can change things n may b den u will understand n begin to talk ryt.
Na 4 GEJ where dey get all these people to advise am? No wonder he seems not to get it ryt most times. God help us all
Very soon;u will know what it is.
ReplyDeleteMr SSA shut up. If u dont undstnd English, luk 4 a person dat do. The wrld bnk prsidnt mean nigeria as a nation. Which rich man will agree to b ssa? Can Dangote do dat? We're in a digital age, stop dat trash
ReplyDeleteSICK-rich man
ReplyDeleteThe Idiot is from my town (Iperu Remo). He is a very useless person despite all his years in Government, his impact in Iperu has never been felt. His day would come when the wealth he claims won't be able to cure him.
ReplyDeleteI hope another evil forest is newly discovered at that village, no worry he may be taken there for cure.
DeleteWhat a combination, a man dat doesn‘t know poverty all as an adviser to a man “with no shoe“ in past. Anyway, lucky u okupe to not hv tested poverty all ur life but i‘m definitely sure among ur lineage there must be a poor person u know,so pls stop the pretence and accept reality.
ReplyDeleteOk mr rich man,I do recommend that u
ReplyDeleteVisit GEj ur boss in one of his sober moods and he will explain to u in detail wat it means to walk without shoes! Umoh senen.
What an idiot. There are so many of such idiots in the corridors of power in this wasted country. The world bank is giving an objective assessment on the state of Nigeria's economy and this fool is arguing like a total nonentity. No intelligent person would have given the type of response that this fool gave.
ReplyDeleteGod will visit him, mak una leave am, he forgot about King Nebuchadnezzar in the Bible:
ReplyDeleteFor seven years, God gave Nebuchadnezzar a heart like a beast's instead of a man's; Daniel 4:43
King James Bible
The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles' feathers, and his nails like birds' claws.
Mr rich, how many pepl hav u given scholaship, how many hav u provide food, sheltet etc cus u know dat all fingers are not equal.
ReplyDeleteIt is not too late for him to become poor nw! Imagine such a mindset? What advice can ds one give?
ReplyDeleteThe fact is, he doesn't know poverty... thus, he might not be good advising GEJ about poverty... you can't give what you don't have.... www.nairapurchae.com
ReplyDeleteI am disappointed with dis Okukpe man. What's wrong with World Bank accessment of Nigeria situation? Are u blind to see the level of poverty in dis country? That u are rich does not mean there are no poor people. Pls don't forget the story of Lazarus and the rich man in the Bible. Change ur ways!
ReplyDeleteWhich way Nigeria God come to help us the only solution
ReplyDeleteWhich way Nigeria? only God will help us in this country
ReplyDeleteThis the biggest fool in nigeria. What is he advising
ReplyDeleteOkupe if you dont believe that people are living in abject in Nigeria I will advise you to visit your home state(Ogun) to know the level of poverty there. Your father should be one of those that put this country into this problem,you are a shameless person. God will visit all of you and purnish you
ReplyDeleteIf you have never been poor and you re boasting of such, and u obviously dont empathize with the poor people of your country... Then you are absolutely not qualified to hold any public office.
ReplyDeleteIs this not the same Okupe that Pres. OBJ was calling ole, ole,ole when he was OBJ's Media aide? The same Okupe that collected full contract payment from Benue State govt without carrying out the contract? Rich man in deed! Ole, omo rich daddy with a bank. Where is the bank now, all this 419 bank.
ReplyDelete