..I wouldn't have attended-Taaooma
.. why I stayed away-Mr Macaroni
Popular Nigerian comedienne, Apaokaji Maryam (Taaooma), has apologised to millions of fans for meeting Vice President Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) alongside others in Abuja.
She said if she knew phones and other gadgets would be collected from them by security agents, she wouldn’t have attended the meeting.
She declared on Friday that she couldn’t record her conversation with Osinbajo because her electronic gadgets were collected upon entry at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
In a long Twitter thread on Friday, the skit maker mentioned that she might have declined the invitation if she had known her phones would be collected.
Taaooma, alongside a team of skit makers, had on Wednesday paid a visit to Osinbajo on the platform of the Nigeria Skits Industry Awards, led by its promoter, Bimbo Daramola.
Others on the delegation were Josh Alfred (Josh2funny), Ayo Ajewole (Woli Agba), Adebamiro Adeyanju (Mr Hyenana) and Adeoye Adeyemi Elesho (Yemi Elesho).
Talking about the visit, Taaooma earlier claimed that she represented the youth, adding that she spoke to Osinbajo about the Twitter ban and police brutality.
Taaooma stated that she was waiting on the video before defending herself, adding that Osinbajo’s team handled the media since their electronic gadgets were collected from them. She said: “I was going to wallow in my ‘shame’ and keep mute. But with the way it’s going, it seems the wound will keep getting deep.
“The organiser of the ‘skit awards’ needed more publicity for the event, secured a meeting with the VP and invited so many ‘skit makers’.
“I also declined at first as many others. But then, at the last minute, I gave it a rethink: what if I pull a Trojan? Gain access to the State House with this ‘skit awards’ thing and say my mind on hot issues.
“Unfortunately for us, after passing through many security checks, all our electronic devices were collected. I couldn’t even go live or record videos.
“All I did was do what others didn’t want to. And trust me, the VP himself was shocked when I started speaking about those issues as that wasn’t his expectations.
“I’m really sorry if I have offended anyone by going that way, but I achieved my aim. I said all I could straight to the VP.
“The VP’s media team were in charge of photos and videos. I might have fully declined if I knew that I won’t be able to go in with my camera or phone.
“The pictures taken after were sent to the ‘skit awards’ PR team. That’s why the photos went out before we got our own hands on it. I started getting tags and some even said I was being ‘called out’.
“My plan was to get the video as soon as it’s ready and post it. But I had no choice than to immediately post the available photo and state what happened at the meeting.
“I hope when the video is ready, everyone will know I’m saying nothing but the truth and my conscience is clear. Once again, I apologise deeply to everyone who felt disappointed.”
Meanwhile, Social media comedian and actor, Debo Adebayo, popularly known as Mr Macaroni, has said that he was absent during the visit by a group of skit makers to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the Presidential Villa, because he was not happy with the country’s leaders.
In a series of Twitter posts on Friday, he wrote, “First, I do not think there is an association of skit makers. If there is, then I don’t know anything about it. And that would be fine because I am an actor/thespian first before the tag ‘skit maker’.
“So I don’t think those that went to see the VP without me or anyone else meant to sideline me. I want to believe they were invited to see the VP by the organisers of an award ceremony the same way I was invited. The only difference is that I declined the invitation.
“The reason I declined is simple. As a citizen, I’m not happy with our leaders and I do not want to associate with them. It’s okay if others believe that sitting with the government will change certain things and decide to try it out. I don’t think they should be crucified for that.
“I have just seen too much to know that the government sees and hears everything. They and their workers are always on the Internet. They know what we cry and complain about and they do nothing about it. So, what will sitting down with them to tell them what they already know change?
He added, “When politicians say they want to engage me, I always tell them to pick a public place, where all members of the press will be present. So that I can say my mind as I see it. When they are begging for votes, they come to us publicly. So, why do you want to see me privately?’’
He maintained that his desire was for Nigeria to be a better nation for himself and other citizens.
He wrote, “I am no hero or saint. I am not perfect. I am only a concerned citizen who wants a better nation for myself and for every other Nigerian. I use my voice, my craft and my platform to do this and I have been greatly persecuted for it.
“This is who I am. It is who I have always been, even before fame. I have suffered so much for it and sometimes I ask myself why I am the way I am. But anytime I remember how many lives I have been able to impact positively, I am at peace with myself.”
