By Prince Omokhodion Okojie

There are few things more disturbing in a democracy than a public servant who forgets he is a servant. On Tuesday, Nigerians witnessed one of those unsettling moments on Arise TV when the Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi, clashed with anchor Rufai Oseni in what has now become a viral confrontation.

It was supposed to be an interview about the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway — a project consuming billions of naira in taxpayers’ money and loans that generations yet unborn will still be repaying. But instead of transparency, we got condescension. Instead of answers, we got arrogance.

When Oseni pressed for figures — cost per kilometre, funding structure, and procurement process — Umahi bristled and told him to “keep quiet.” Oseni, in turn, alleged that the Minister had earlier reported him to President Bola Tinubu. That allegation — unverified but explosive — turned a civic discussion into a contest of power and pride. It exposed a recurring fracture in our democracy: the arrogance of public officials who see accountability as insolence and questions as attacks.

The Anatomy of Arrogance

Umahi is not the first Nigerian official to mistake authority for superiority. But his televised display shows just how far we have sunk into a culture where questioning power attracts hostility. Public office has become a throne occupied by men who behave as though they were crowned rather than appointed.

Yet the Constitution does not create monarchs. It appoints servants. When a minister sneers at a journalist asking legitimate questions about public spending, it is not Rufai Oseni who is being disrespected — it is every Nigerian taxpayer.

The Minister’s Failure

David Umahi had two choices that morning. He could have answered with facts and figures or deferred politely to provide documentation later. Instead, he went on the offensive, issuing commands and belittling the journalist. That reaction betrays a dangerous mindset — one that equates scrutiny with disrespect.

If a minister cannot calmly face questions from the press, how can he face corruption within his ministry? If he cannot account publicly for figures, how can citizens trust the figures in his files? When officials grow defensive over transparency, something deeper is wrong.

The President’s Shadow

To be fair, it was Rufai Oseni who alleged that Umahi had “reported him to the President.” Whether or not that happened, the very fact that a journalist could fear or believe such a thing speaks volumes about the atmosphere of intimidation in our polity. The Presidency must not become — or be perceived as — a weapon against free expression. A firm public statement affirming the administration’s respect for media independence is long overdue.

Rufai Oseni’s Role

Rufai’s style is aggressive, sometimes impatient, but never frivolous. His job is to ask what citizens ask privately and to press where answers are hidden. Even so, journalists must balance firmness with composure. Interviews should remain civil and fact-driven, but the heavier duty lies on the public officer — the one funded by the people — to respond with humility and precision.

A Pattern of Disdain

We have seen this movie before: ministers, governors, and spokespersons lashing out at journalists as if questions were insults. Festus Keyamo once dismissed legitimate queries as “nonsense.” Dele Alake has waved off press concerns with similar arrogance. These are not isolated tempers; they are symptoms of a political culture that rewards bluster over substance.

Each such episode erodes democratic norms, teaching citizens that questioning authority is dangerous. That is how societies slide into silence.

Accountability Is Not Optional

The Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway is not a private enterprise. It is a public commitment funded by debt and taxes. Nigerians deserve full disclosure — contracts, costs, oversight, and audits. Treating those questions as irritations rather than obligations is the beginning of impunity.

Lessons and Demands

1. David Umahi owes Nigerians clarity and decorum. He must address the issues raised — cost breakdowns, project timelines, transparency — without condescension. Whether or not he ever “reported” anyone is secondary; what matters is accountability and respect for citizens’ right to know.

2. Arise TV and other broadcasters must strengthen interview discipline. Let tough questions remain tough, but keep focus on facts, not tempers.

3. The Presidency must publicly uphold press freedom. Even perceived intimidation chills democracy.

4. Civil society and the public must refuse silence. Every attempt to muzzle the press must meet collective outrage, not indifference.

The Bigger Picture

This was not just a viral moment; it was a mirror of our democracy. Public arrogance is the first symptom of tyranny. Before dictators silence citizens, they first learn to silence journalists.

Umahi’s command — “keep quiet” — may have been aimed at one man, but it echoed across a nation tired of being told to shut up. It is our collective dignity he attempted to mute.

Public office is not a crown. It is a trust. Those who occupy it must act with humility, speak with truth, and remember that the people — not their egos — are sovereign.

If this democracy is to endure, then every public servant must be reminded: power without humility is borrowed arrogance, and borrowed arrogance has an expiry date.

Prince Omokhodion Okojie
Benin City-based columnist and commentator on governance, accountability, and civic ethics.