Oseloka, son of Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, has reacted to the attack directed at him on social media.
Pictures had emerged purported to be Obi’s son and his supposed gay partner.
But Peter Obi Jnr., in a statement said he had no social media presence and has no interest in maintaining one, and therefore, he rarely correct these falsehoods.
He however added that it is time for him address them.
Oseloka said he was made to know that gossip follows those connected to public life, stating that he had refrained from engaging with the vitriol, scorn, and suspicion directed at him online because he was not raised to trade in lies or to indulge in false narratives.
“I did not do so as a child, and I will not begin now as a grown man,” he added.
He said he was raised to know that his father’s wealth is not mine, and that he must build his own life, and that was why his chosen path is in theatre and filmmaking, “so far from the world he (his father) inhabits – an industry that embraces diversity of class, race, sexuality, and identity.
“I portray characters vastly different from myself, yet some online use these roles against me and my father, presenting fiction as fact.
“I trust any rational person can see how absurd this is.”
Oseloka regretted that because of his father’s involvement in Nigerian politics, there has been malicious attack on him, adding, “This pattern has become all too familiar: individuals opposed to my father seize ordinary photos of me – images that are neither hidden nor secret – and repackage them with false stories.
“These are not revelations. They are not ‘exposés.’ They are simply misrepresentations; fiction spun from pictures.
“I have seen this happen to others but experiencing it myself repeatedly is deeply unsettling. Still, I want it to be known clearly: what is being circulated is gossip.
“It reveals more about the pettiness of those spreading such narratives than it does about me or my father.
“The truth is simple: Peter Obi’s son appears in photos with his friends and colleagues, nothing more. If people wish to invent otherwise, I hope they sleep soundly knowing they are spreading lies.
“Nor I or my father are perfect men, and as father and son we have our differences.”
Oseloka said many people might have been surprised why he chose to be an actor, given the fact that his father is businessman, entrepreneur, and economist.
“I’m sure he imagined I might follow that path – yet, though my career is far from what he envisioned, he supports me fully. Unlike many children of Nigerian politicians, I have never relied on nepotism,” he said.
He reminded his attackers that it is his father who is in politics, and not him, adding that to assume that his life or choices are somehow political statements is a flawed and childish calculation.
According to Oseloka, Nigeria has far greater issues than idle speculation about what Peter Obi’s son is doing.
“Our nation still struggles with insecurity, a weakened economy, crumbling infrastructure, failing healthcare, and politicians who steal from the people they swore to serve.
“And yet, for some, the priority is to spread gossip about who Peter Obi’s son appears with in a photo. This is a distraction from the real crises that matter to all Nigerians,” he said
Oseloka said he can attest to his father’s integrity and his relentless desire to lead Nigeria out of its current hardships.
“In our home, as a child, the lesson was always clear: face your work, do it honestly, and contribute to the good of others.
“That is what I will continue to do.
So, to those who attempt to distract us with lies: I beg you, stop pulling attention away from Nigeria’s urgent problems.
“My father has my vote, not because he is my father, but because he is the right man for the job. If others wish to go low, invent scandals, or attack me to wound him, they are free to do so.
“But we will go high, and we will continue to focus on the future of Nigeria,” he assured.
