The Ogun State Government of Nigeria has debunked a viral claim of the governor being an authoritarian leader demanding humiliating displays of loyalty.
A viral video has been making the rounds suggesting that the governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun, demands that his cabinet members kneel or prostrate before him whenever he is offended.
According to the state government, this is just a case of old videos being repurposed to fuel fresh controversies. 
The short clip shows several individuals prostrating before Governor Abiodun while chanting words of apology. The captions attached to the video claim that it is a practice in Ogun State. It suggests that when the governor is angry with his team, the Deputy Governor and commissioners are forced to beg on their knees.
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The Official Rebuttal
The Ogun State Government has dismissed the allegations as “false, malicious, and deliberately misleading.” In a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Information and Strategy, Hon. Kayode Akinmade, the government clarified that no commissioner or member of the State Executive Council has ever been required to prostrate before Governor Abiodun.
It also noted that the Deputy Governor, Engr. Noimot Salako-Oyedele, prostrates before the governor are completely unfounded and ridiculous.
The statement emphasised that there has never been any request or directive for anyone to kneel or prostrate before the governor.
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What the Video is Actually About
According to FactCheckHub, the said clip was traced to September 2023. The video has none of the state commissioners or even the deputy governor. Instead, it shows Local Government Council Chairmen who visited the Governor’s office to apologise after a political crisis between them.
The incident stemmed from accusations made by the then Chairman of Ijebu East Local Government, Hon. Wale Adedayo, who claimed the state government was diverting local government allocations. In a show of solidarity and remorse, the other chairmen prostrated while tendering a public apology. They were not coerced to do so, it is a norm peculiar to the Yoruba people to show respect and genuine remorse. It was widely reported in 2023, hence, the presence of the video online.
As of the time of this publication, the Ogun State Government maintains that Governor Abiodun does not demand such displays from his cabinet. The public is advised to verify information before sharing, especially on sensitive matters involving leadership and tradition.
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