Popular social media activist Martins Vincent Otse, better known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), led a dramatic protest on Monday, June 23, at the Abuja residence of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, over the continued strike by primary school teachers in the FCT.
The strike, which began on March 24, 2025, is a result of the refusal by Area Council Chairmen to implement the new national minimum wage of ₦70,000 for primary school teachers.
The industrial action has left pupils out of school for more than 90 days, sparking widespread concern from parents, teachers, and civil society groups.
To draw attention to the plight of the affected children, VDM mobilised a group of school pupils dressed in uniforms and staged a protest outside Wike’s gate.
During the protest, he held a symbolic classroom session on the roadside, teaching the alphabet in a satirical tone aimed at the political leadership. The demonstration was designed not only as a protest but also as a performance intended to shame those in power over the continued neglect of public education.
The protest drew the attention of FCT authorities. Bitrus Garki, Mandate Secretary of the Area Councils Services Secretariat, addressed the gathering, acknowledging the severity of the situation.
He explained that the responsibility for resolving the issue primarily lies with the Area Councils but stated that the FCT administration had intervened several times in an attempt to broker peace between council authorities and striking unions.
Garki assured the protesters that efforts were ongoing through consultations with stakeholders including traditional rulers, the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).
Despite these assurances, VDM issued a seven-day ultimatum to the FCT administration, threatening to return with even more students if the deadlock was not broken and schools remained shut.
In a further escalation, the activist also announced plans to lead a second protest the following day, this time in support of primary healthcare workers in the FCT who are also on strike over non-payment of the new minimum wage.
The back-to-back protests signal growing public frustration over wage-related industrial actions that have crippled essential services in the nation’s capital.
As the standoff lingers, not only do primary schools remain shut, but the unrest is now visibly spreading to the gates of political power.
