Filmmaker Ugezu Ugezu calls out fake news.

Filmmaker Ugezu Ugezu has addressed the perception that Nigerians in the South East did not participate in the national protest against hardship on August 1. Following criticism on social media, where some users questioned why the region appeared quiet compared to other parts of the country, Ugezu responded by asserting that South Easterners did indeed partake in the protests, albeit in a unique way.

In a post on Instagram, Ugezu emphasized that it is erroneous to suggest that the South East was inactive during the demonstrations. He clarified that the people from this region chose to express their discontent differently. To support his point, Ugezu shared a video showing a group of Igbo men engaging in their form of protest. The video featured them drinking beer, singing, dancing, and “hailing” the President in a seemingly jovial manner.

Ugezu’s post suggests that the South Easterners decided to protest in a culturally resonant way, blending traditional forms of expression with a light-hearted yet poignant critique of the current state of affairs. By highlighting this, Ugezu aimed to show that the South East did participate in the nationwide protest, challenging the narrative that they were indifferent to the issues at hand.