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In a dramatic and eye-catching protest, social media activist Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), took to the streets of Abuja on Monday, June 23, 2025, to demand action over the ongoing primary school teachers’ strike in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The strike, which has kept children out of school for over 90 days, prompted VDM to stage a unique demonstration right at the gate of FCT Minister Nyesom Wike’s residence, where he held an open-air classroom for schoolchildren.
VDM, dressed in a school uniform to show solidarity with the pupils, gathered a group of children also in uniforms, carrying banners and chanting for their right to education. In a bold move, he turned the minister’s gate into a makeshift classroom, teaching the kids letters of the alphabet with a twist. “S for Suegbe, T for Tinubu, W for Wike,” he called out, as the children repeated after him, poking fun at political leaders while highlighting the crisis. He even provided rice and chicken for the children during a break, a gesture to show care for the pupils suffering from the strike’s impact.
The teachers’ strike began on March 24, 2025, because the six Area Council Chairmen in the FCT have failed to pay the new national minimum wage of N70,000 to primary school teachers. Despite the FCT administration releasing N4.1 billion to cover salaries, the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) says the funds were diverted by council chairmen for other purposes, like “signature allowances.” Teachers are still being paid as little as N30,000, and they’re owed back pay, a 40% Peculiar Allowance, and a N35,000 wage award promised by the federal government.
VDM, known for his fearless activism, refused to speak to journalists at the protest, insisting the minister’s gate would now be the children’s classroom until the issue is resolved. “This is just to remind Wike. Maybe he has forgotten,” VDM said, adding that he would lead another protest the next day for striking primary healthcare workers. His actions sparked a buzz online, with some praising his creativity and others calling it a stunt. “This is powerful! VDM is speaking for the children,” one supporter wrote on X, while another said, “He’s just making noise. Will this solve the problem?”
FCT Minister Wike has been vocal about his frustration with the Area Councils, saying he withheld their 10% Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) allocation to force them to pay teachers. “It’s embarrassing that teachers who care for our children are not paid,” Wike said in May. He has set up a committee to ensure funds go directly to teachers, but the strike continues, and thousands of pupils remain at home, roaming the streets instead of learning.
The protest turned tense when security operatives fired teargas to disperse the crowd, which VDM called “insensitive.” He vowed to keep fighting, urging the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate the diverted funds. The NUT Chairman, Abdullahi Shafa, has also called for probes by the National Assembly and EFCC, accusing the council chairmen of misusing the money meant for teachers.
As Benue State grapples with its own crisis of killings, VDM’s recent protest in Makurdi shows he’s not afraid to tackle big issues across Nigeria. But with schools still closed and teachers unpaid, the question remains: will his bold protest push Wike and the Area Councils to act, or will FCT children continue to miss out on their education?
What do you think VDM should do next to help end the teachers’ strike?
