The Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, has replied to a critic on X with a Yoruba insult that translates to “bastard”.
The exchange started after the minister announced the launch of NUCAP, the National Universal Communications Access Project on his verified handle @bosuntijani on October 15, 2026.
Tijani wrote, “NUCAP is here. Another major step towards connecting every Nigerian. Starting with the commissioning of our first site in Bende, Abia State, NUCAP will deliver 3,700 telecommunications towers across Nigeria, connecting close to 20 million Nigerians currently without access.
“For the farmer unable to reach a buyer, the trader unable to receive a payment, or the family unable to call for help, connectivity opens up possibilities too long denied.
“President @officialABAT’s ambition for a $1 trillion economy requires every Nigerian to have the opportunity to contribute and share in its prosperity. That is why this investment matters. With NUCAP, no community will be left behind.”
An X user, @chelssy506, commented on the post, writing, “Nigga you don’t know what you’re doing at all,” with a sad emoji.
The minister replied on October 16, 2026, at 8:15 p.m., “Omo a le! Awon ara ile yin ni nigga.”
In Yoruba, “Omo ale” means bastard, a child born out of wedlock. The second part, “Awon ara ile yin ni nigga,” means “It is members of your family who are niggas.”
Screenshots of the exchange seen by SaharaReporters show the minister’s reply had garnered over 4.7k views.
Dr. Tijani has been Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy since August 21, 2023.
Critics say Tijani’s case raises moral questions because he heads the ministry that regulates Nigeria’s digital space and champions digital civility, online safety and responsible communication.
The Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy is currently driving Project BRIDGE and NUCAP to connect unserved communities, and the minister has repeatedly called for responsible use of digital platforms.
A public communication expert said while a minister has the right to defend himself against insults, using a slur like “Omo ale,” which attacks a person’s birth status and drags their family into the insult, lowers the moral standing of the office.
Others argue that Nigerians should also stop insulting public officers, as the X user who called the minister “nigga” started the abuse.
Tijani is not the first Nigerian public officer to be caught in a war of words with citizens on social media.
In August 2020 in a similar incident, a former Aviation Minister Femi Fani-Kayode verbally attacked a Daily Trust journalist, Eyo Charged, during a press briefing in Calabar, calling him “a very stupid person” after being asked who was funding his tour. The video went viral.
In 2025, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission Chairperson Abike Dabiri-Erewa was embroiled in controversy after reacting with a laughing emoji to a social media post that allegedly described Igbo people as “monkeys and gorillas.”
However, Dabiri-Erewa denied endorsing the insult, but critics argued that a public officer’s engagement amplifies hate speech.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio has also in the past dismissed critics as “noisemakers” and described Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe as a “social media senator.”
As of press time, Tijani has not deleted the post and has not issued any clarification.