Actor turned politician, Desmond Elliot, has been trending on Twitter for speaking on the negative impact of social media at the Lagos State House of Assembly.
Days ago, a Twitter user, Dr. Olufunmilayo, alleged that the Lagos State Government was developing a bill to regulate social media use in the country and Elliot one of those pushing it.
To counter this, the lawmaker shared a video via his social media accounts denying the allegations and cleared the air that the state government was not developing any bill of such.
However, a video of the lawmaker’s statement at the House of Assembly has now been made public.
In the video, the former actor was seen calling on the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, to “address certain things” such as “the Nigerian youth, the social media, the social influencers”.
He said: “All of these are making the narratives that we are seeing today.
“Except we’re joking with ourselves.
“Social media, though good, has its negative impacts.
“Let me first thank you for condemning the killing that happened at Lekki.”
While expressing concerns about the way Nigerian youths curse others on social media, the lawmaker said he could not believe the curses from children.
Elliot said: “When I went through the comment, I could not believe it Mr. Speaker.
“The curses and the abuses from children.
“And I asked myself: ‘Is this Nigeria? What is going on? Children cursing?’
“People having an effrontery to enter the Oba’s Palace and hold his staff of office.
“Culture is gone.
“Mr. Speaker, in the next five years, there will be no Nigeria if we don’t start now.
“The youth is not only those who do the peaceful protest, those who have looted and destroyed lives are youths as well.
“Pregnant women went into mall and took things and went away.
“Mr. Speaker, when shall we change this narrative?
“I put it to all the celebrities and motivational speakers: this is the only country we have.
“The wealthy will go when anything happens.
“What is our common saying?
“We die here.
“Please celebrities and social media influencers, stop the hatred already….
“You have a means constitutionally to change government and it is called your PVC (Permanent Voters Card).”
Elliot’s comments, however, seem not to have gone down well with his former colleagues in the entertainment industry as most of them took to social media to express their disappointments.
@Davido: “Desmond Elliot just destroyed all the precious child hood memories he gave us in movies.”
@lalaakidoju: “Honestly I’m more than disappointed in Desmond Elliot. I’m so shocked. Anyway, we have been praying that God should expose the real state of mind of our leaders. Now we know how he really processes things. I pray the people he looks forward to representing in 2023 remember today.”
@ToolzO: “The Vilification of the Nigerian Youth – Ep.3. The Nigerian youth are so rotten, they’re cursing politicians online.?Let’s not focus on why they’re angry, but on how rude they are. ?Like Bobrisky said ‘insort never killed anybody’. Fix up & do your job Uncle Desmond. #EndSARS.”