Shem Obafiaye, an officer in the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) who gained notoriety for his “Oga At The Top” remark, has discussed the psychological fallout from the 2013 incident.
As Naija News remembers, Obafiaye became viral after having trouble locating the NSCDC website in a live TV interview.
Years after the interview, Obafiaye considers how his comment inspired popular memes and products.
In an interview on Channels TV, Obafiaye responded, “Did the interview that led to his deployment affect me psychologically?”
“Definitely, it has to because I had never gone through such in my life, but with the words of my cousin, ‘I know you have a future; if you are ready for national recognition, be ready for national embarrassment, harassment, and insults’.”
Obiafiaye noted that “Immediately after the interview—and I was changed—my principal, who is my commandant general, just asked me to rest. I was at home for one month rest before they moved me to Oyo State Command.”
Speaking of the effect on his family, Obafiaye noted that his kid frequently returned home and talked about how his peers referred to him as “Oga at the Top.”
Despite this, he emphasized that he had not suffered any consequences and that it was simply a part of the experience rather than a crime.
When Obafiaye considered how his supervisors and colleagues responded, he saw that they did not react badly.
He apologized to anyone who made fun of him during the interview, laughing as he did so. He also acknowledged the impact of social media in the “new age.”
Shem Obafiaye was last week elevated to the position of Deputy Commandant-General and disclosed on the program that he had retired from the military, ten years after the incident.
