In every functioning society, law and order stand as the unshakable pillars that guarantee stability, peace, and progress. Without the supremacy of the law, chaos becomes the norm, and individuals begin to arrogate to themselves powers that belong only to institutions of the state. It is against this backdrop that the antics of one social media personality, popularly known as VDM — VeryDarkBlackMan — must be critically examined. His brazen, insidious conduct has not only exposed the ignorance of many who celebrate disorder on the internet but has also raised disturbing questions about the silence of the law in the face of outright nuisance.
VDM has, in recent times, become the poster child for a warped form of social media activism — one that thrives on sensationalism, intimidation, and misplaced bravado rather than on reason, facts, and lawful process. He has arrogated to himself the unlawful power of policing, intercepting, and obstructing the movement of Dangote trucks, a brazen act that is not only illegal but dangerously provocative. Let it be made clear: VDM is neither a law enforcement officer nor an agent of any recognized authority. He has no constitutional mandate to stop trucks, harass drivers, or demand compensation on behalf of accident victims. His behavior, no matter how he tries to embellish it under the cloak of activism, is an insult to the intelligence of any society that believes in the rule of law.
If VDM had genuine grievances against Dangote Cement Plc, the path of legality was clear. He could have sought redress in a court of law, petitioned the appropriate regulatory agency, or engaged credible legal representation to ventilate his claims. But rather than follow due process, he has chosen the jungle path of lawlessness, seizing the road as his courtroom and social media as his gavel. Such disorder is a time bomb, one that endangers not only corporate operations but also the lives and property of ordinary citizens who may be caught in the web of his recklessness.
What is even more troubling, and indeed insulting to the sensibilities of law-abiding Nigerians, is the silence of the authorities. Why has VDM not been arrested? Why has he not been prosecuted and jailed for his actions, which constitute a clear violation of criminal codes relating to obstruction of highways, harassment, and incitement? Is the Nigerian state so weak that it now trembles before the loud bark of a social media personality? Or has the noise of internet sensationalism become so intoxicating that even the guardians of justice are rendered mute?
This silence is dangerous. It emboldens others to follow in the same path of reckless notoriety, convincing them that one can trample on the rule of law and escape unpunished simply because they command a following online. But popularity is not legality. The number of followers on Instagram or Twitter cannot and should never substitute for the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
We must also interrogate the insidious culture that fuels such behavior. Social media, once a tool of enlightenment, has in many quarters become the breeding ground of ignorance, mob mentality, and the glorification of disorder. Instead of celebrating thinkers, innovators, and nation-builders, we have built a digital empire for noise-makers, bullies, and self-acclaimed vigilantes. VDM, unfortunately, has become a symptom of this sickness — the sickness of a society where attention is mistaken for influence, and lawlessness is mistaken for courage.
The danger is clear: if every citizen were to imitate VDM’s antics — stopping trucks, blocking roads, demanding compensation by fiat — Nigeria would descend into uncontrollable anarchy. Commerce would collapse, transportation would become a gamble, and the blood of innocent people would stain the highways not because of accidents but because of the lawless obstructions of social media activists-turned-street judges.
For Dangote Industries Limited, there is a duty to act decisively. Its legal department must not only petition against VDM’s unlawful acts but also demand protection from law enforcement agencies. Corporate silence in the face of harassment emboldens perpetrators and endangers industry. The Nigerian economy, already fragile, cannot afford disruptions instigated by individuals who mistake personal vendetta for activism.
The time has come for the Nigerian state to draw a line in the sand. Enough is enough. The law must speak, loudly and clearly, that no individual is above it. VDM must be held accountable, not as a witch-hunt, but as a deterrent to others who may wish to reduce Nigeria into a playground of disorder. The police must act. The courts must act. Civil society must demand accountability not only from corporations but from citizens who arrogate to themselves the power of the state.
We must reclaim the soul of our society from the jaws of ignorance. Social media should be a marketplace of ideas, not a jungle of intimidation. Activism should be about justice, not lawlessness. And law must always reign supreme over noise.
VDM, and others like him, represent a dangerous slope that Nigeria must refuse to slide down. The ignorance of the law is no excuse. Disorder cannot be celebrated as courage. The silence of justice cannot be tolerated any longer. It is time to restore order, not for Dangote alone, but for the sanity of our collective society.
