Social media activist VeryDarkMan (VDM) has responded to remarks made about his invitation to speak at the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) conference by human rights attorney and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana.

Falana has before questioned the choice to include VDM as a panellist in an insecurity discussion, contending that speakers on national security had to be knowledgeable with the nation’s security infrastructure.

VDM responded in a video posted on his social media page, expressing his disappointment with Falana’s stance, especially his remark of bringing “somebody from nowhere” to the conference.

VDM claims that the comment helped him understand why some lawyers and members of the elite were against his involvement, claiming that class was a major factor.

Additionally, he disagreed with the notion that insecurity should only be discussed by those with formal training, arguing that common Nigerians have valuable experiences to share.

Read what he said below:

“I listened to Femi Falana, and I’m not going to lie to you, I was so disappointed in the great Femi Falana. I was really, really disappointed. Their problem is that the son of a nobody was invited. That is simply what has been going on in the media, and Femi Falana just made it clear to me.

“This is not about books. It’s about experience. And when you want to talk about security, security is for everybody. I spoke on behalf of the poor masses. I spoke on behalf of the poor people. I spoke on behalf of the people that don’t have a voice.

“When people want justice, who do they call? They call VeryDarkMan. Are you not ashamed?”

According to VDM, his input was motivated by his personal experiences and his wish to speak for regular Nigerians who are impacted by insecurity.