Human rights lawyer and activist Dele Farotimi has delivered a scathing critique of Nigeria’s legal profession and judicial system, declaring that social critic Martins Vincent Otse (VeryDarkMan) has become the true "last hope of the common man" due to systemic failure.

Speaking in response to the fierce controversy surrounding VeryDarkMan’s controversial invitation and appearance at the Nigerian Bar Association’s (NBA) 66th Annual General Conference in Port Harcourt, Farotimi argued that attacking the activist misses the entire point.

Key Takeaways From Farotimi’s Address

  • A Mirror of Systemic Failure: Farotimi stated that a society with a functional police force and a working judicial system would never tolerate or require the existence of a VDM. He described the activist as a "life indictment" of a broken system.

  • Shattering the "Last Hope" Myth: Challenging the long-standing legal cliché, Farotimi bluntly dismissed the notion that the judiciary remains the last hope of the ordinary citizen. He noted that everyday Nigerians now find it far easier to secure some form of accountability or justice through social media influencers than through formal court processes.

  • A Dire Warning for the Future: Farotimi cautioned that ignoring these institutional rot and focusing solely on silencing individual critics will only backfire. He warned that "copycat VDMs" are already springing up, and if reforms are continuously neglected, future figures may bypass social media entirely and "carry guns to enforce their laws".

  • Turning the Blame Inward: Directing his frustration at legal practitioners and judges, Farotimi told the audience to look closely at the reflection in the mirror instead of complaining about VDM’s presence on public platforms. He asserted that the legal community and society at large built the environment that made VDM's brand of intervention necessary.

Farotimi’s remarks have further stoked intense national debate over the state of Nigeria's justice delivery framework and the growing public reliance on non-traditional avenues for redress.