An Open Rebuke to Lere Olayinka’s Unruly Outburst – Otunba Babatunde Olushola Senbanjo

By Otunba Babatunde Olushola Senbanjo (BOS)

It is both appalling and unfortunate that Lere Olayinka, the so-called Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, would descend into the gutter of public discourse to peddle insults and personal attacks against a respected journalist, Rufai Oseni.

One would expect that someone entrusted with the responsibility of managing public communications would demonstrate a basic understanding of decorum, maturity, and factual engagement. Instead, what we’ve witnessed is a crude attempt to malign a media professional simply for doing his job asking hard questions and holding public officeholders accountable. If Mr. Olayinka cannot stomach public scrutiny, then he is clearly unfit for the very position he occupies.

Let us be clear: calling Rufai Oseni an “ex-convict” in an attempt to discredit him is not only defamatory but a distraction from the real issues. A minor traffic infraction, which was resolved, does not strip anyone of their right to speak truth to power or engage in journalism. The insinuation that he should not be allowed to interview Nigerians is a direct attack on press freedom and reveals a dangerous authoritarian streak in Olayinka’s thinking. This is a democracy, not a dictatorship.

And let us not forget who Lere Olayinka speaks for Nyesom Wike, a man whose name has become synonymous with political thuggery, verbal abuse, and an insatiable hunger for power. Wike has built a reputation for arrogance, public altercations, and disdain for institutional process. It is therefore no surprise that his aides would reflect the same disdain for decency and reasoned dialogue.

Politics in Nigeria is already poisoned enough by sycophancy and tribalism. The likes of Lere Olayinka add more toxicity by promoting a brand of politics built on insults, propaganda, and character assassination. These are not the kind of people who should be trusted with public responsibilities. They do not uplift the democratic process; they degrade it.

If Olayinka is truly interested in serving the public and defending his principal, he should do so with facts, not with bile. The path to relevance in public office is not paved with insults but with ideas. Rufai Oseni, despite being targeted, has consistently demonstrated professionalism, intellect, and courage. He remains one of the few journalists unafraid to question those in power, and that alone earns him more credibility than any smear campaign can erase.

It is high time we demanded better from our public officials and their aides. Public service is not a playground for bullies; it is a platform for accountability, transparency, and progress. Lere Olayinka’s disgraceful behavior is beneath the dignity of the office he holds if indeed there is any left at all.