How Fake News Nearly Caused Me My Marriage – VP Osinbajo

How Fake News Nearly Caused Me My Marriage – VP Osinbajo

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at a conference organised by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Africa on fake news recalled how fake news nearly caused a ‘rift’ in his marriage.

The one-day conference on Wednesday, which marks the beginning of ‘BBC’s 50-day election conference plan’, held at the Transcorp Hotels in Abuja.

At the conference, Mr Osinbajo gave the keynote speech on the effect of misinformation.

The conference tagged, ”Beyond Fake News” had as panellists Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka, president of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, Funke Egbemode; founder of Bella Naija, Uche Pedro; the INEC chairman, Mahmoud Yakubu, represented by Festus Okoye and the director of BBC World Service Group, Jamie Angus.

The discussion was moderated by Adesuwa Onyenokwe, publisher, Today’s Woman Magazine.

The discussion dwelt on countering fake news in Nigeria.

Mr Osinbajo in his speech explained how fake news could cause marital crises.

He recalled a report in the past where he was accused of taking pictures with strippers.

”I took a picture with two perfectly clothed ladies but underneath the (published) story, the ‘ladies’ were not wearing much,” he said. ”I had in fact taken pictures with these two ladies at an entertainment event when they were ‘perfectly clothed’.

”But by the time the story was put out (published), it was as if I had taken photos with them when they were not clothed (near nude). The story turned out with a caption as if I took photos with them without much clothes,” he said.

He, however, did not elaborate on how he handled the situation.

”I think the capacity of fake news to cause great harm is not in doubt,” he added.