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Controversial Nigerian activist and social media critic, Martin Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), has unveiled a new plan to take his activism from online to real life through community service under his Ratel Movement. Read Our Last Post: Nursing Mother Feeding Three-Month-Old Baby Kidnapped, Child Left Crying Alone
In a viral video released on Wednesday, September twenty-fourth, two thousand and twenty-five, VDM announced that the initiative will kick off on Saturday, November twenty-ninth, two thousand and twenty-five. The programme will run monthly and will involve Nigerians across different states engaging in sanitation exercises and grassroots development.
VDM explained that the aim is to fight environmental decay and inspire patriotism among Nigerian youths. He stressed that the movement’s target is not violence, but positive impact.
“Starting from the 29th of November, 2025, which will be on a Saturday, we the Ratel Movement are taking over Nigeria, we are shutting down this country. That being said, we are not shutting down in terms of violence, we are shutting it down in terms of impact,” he said in the video.
According to him, the activities will include cleaning public spaces, clearing blocked drainages, rehabilitating schools, and other community support projects. He called on his supporters, who refer to themselves as “Ratels”, to show up in person and not just limit their activism to social media.
“We are going to start what has never been seen before in Nigeria. We are going to be moving from just being on social media claiming to be Ratels to presenting ourselves in real life and impacting our society,” he added.
The announcement quickly stirred reactions online. Some Nigerians praised the move as a smart way to mobilise young people for nation building, while others hinted that it could also carry political weight in the future.
One commenter wrote, “VDM is very smart, I know where he is going with this good work, Nigeria govt is in problem, great move.” Another described him as “our president” while offering blessings for the initiative.
Others showed support in practical ways, promising refreshments, encouragement, and participation in the clean-up exercise. A user posted, “I’m supporting with chilled drinks for the workers… Okija youth.”
However, some viewers joked about his words, especially the phrase “shutting down the country”, saying it sounded like a political campaign.
Despite the mix of views, many agreed that the move marks a turning point for the Ratel Movement, shifting from being a digital voice of criticism to a physical force for community change.
