Although Nigeria just witnessed a change of leadership and the passing of former President Muhammadu Buhari, one “columnist” has been busy peddling falsehoods and toxic commentary around these events. Dr. Farooq Kperogi – a professor of journalism turned social media provocateur – recently retracted a blatantly baseless claim about the Buhari family and offered a public apology. As one of the many Nigerians he maligned and insulted for challenging his story, I find his belated mea culpa insufficient. This public statement serves as a strong condemnation of Dr. Kperogi’s erstwhile positions on President Buhari’s death and the false information he spread about the collapse of Buhari’s marriage. It addresses both the moral outrage and potential legal ramifications of his actions.

A Pattern of Sensational Misinformation

Farooq Kperogi is no stranger to controversial claims. For years, he relished his role as one of Buhari’s “fiercest critics”, penning biting columns and social media posts. Even in debunking wild conspiracy theories, he often did so with a poisonous twist. A telling example came in 2018 at the height of the absurd “Jibril from Sudan” rumor (the claim that Buhari had died and been replaced by a body double). Kperogi ostensibly dismissed the tale as “implausible absurdity,” yet still seized the moment to ridicule Buhari on the world stage, agreeing with a student’s sneering quip that “while your president certainly isn’t a clone, he sure is a clown”. Such...

Read Full Story: https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMimAFBVV95cUxPakxXQUlKTDdjTURwSXNaYmdu...