Catholic Priest Says Viral VDM–Mr Jollof Airplane Fight Is a ‘Deliberate Social Media Distraction
A Nigerian Catholic priest, Reverend Father Chidi Angelo Unegbu, has sparked debate after suggesting that the ongoing buzz surrounding the fight between popular online critic Very Dark Man (VDM) and comedian Mr. Jollof is nothing more than a deliberate distraction. Eyes Of Lagos reports,
Father Unegbu, who shared his thoughts in a Facebook post on Monday, said certain viral stories are intentionally amplified to divert Nigerians from the country’s pressing issues. According to him, social media is increasingly becoming a tool used to push irrelevant controversies while citizens lose sight of urgent national conversations.
The cleric made reference to the recent airplane scuffle between VDM and Mr. Jollof, a video that went viral across platforms and has dominated online discussions for two days. He questioned why such incidents trend more aggressively than matters affecting governance, hardship, insecurity, or economic concerns.
“It seems that some people are deliberately promoting these diversionary tactics on Nigerian social media to prevent people from discussing the country’s real problems. Today, it is fighting on airplanes. Stop falling for all these distractions,” he wrote.
His statement has triggered reactions from Nigerians who share similar sentiments about the online space becoming saturated with trivial entertainment content. Others argue that social media naturally amplifies dramatic stories because they are more entertaining, not necessarily because they are planted as distractions.
The clash between VDM and Mr. Jollof occurred inside a commercial plane, forcing airline officials to deboard both men for violating safety regulations. The video of the confrontation instantly dominated timelines and has since overshadowed discussions about ongoing national hardship and political updates.
Father Unegbu’s warning adds a new angle to the conversation, prompting questions about whether Nigerians are unintentionally falling for sensational content at the expense of demanding accountability from leaders.
