Renowned Nollywood director, Dimbo Atiya, has fired back at former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode, over his recent remarks against Governor Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang of Plateau State, describing his comments as theatrics driven by personal agenda rather than patriotism.
“Hmmm! It’s becoming obvious that some merchants of opinions, hired voices whose loyalty is to the highest bidder and individuals who have perfected the art of shamelessness… are on the rampage,” Atiya said, in a strongly worded statement shared across his platforms.
He accused Fani-Kayode and his likes of prioritizing “relevance and a paycheck” over truth, justice, or facts, stating they’ve “thickened their skin with years of dishonesty” and now twist narratives with bold impunity.
Atiya expressed deep concern that instead of offering meaningful support or solutions during one of Plateau’s darkest hours, “Femi Fani-Kayode — a man known more for his theatrics than his consistency — launched a baseless attack on the governor.”
He slammed Fani-Kayode for failing to show empathy or patriotism, adding that the former minister only “pounced” on the situation for attention, not out of concern for the people.
“And when the governor’s team issued a factual rejoinder to set the record straight,” Atiya noted, “FFK had the audacity to say Mutfwang should have ‘focused on his people’ — as though silence in the face of slander is a virtue.”
Atiya described Fani-Kayode’s logic as twisted, stating: “You throw the first punch then cry foul when your opponent defends himself? What kind of twisted reasoning is that?”
He argued that the larger plan to tarnish the image of the Plateau State Government had failed, stating that after an unsuccessful attempt with social media influencer VeryDarkMan, FFK was their next “more unhinged” option.
“The state government had no choice but to reply,” he said, adding that “silence only emboldens madness” and allowing FFK’s falsehoods to go unanswered would be irresponsible.
Atiya criticized Fani-Kayode’s sudden outrage over Israeli support for Plateau, questioning why he hasn’t directed his anger at President Bola Tinubu, “his fellow Yoruba brother,” for maintaining diplomatic ties with Israel.
“If Israel is such a problem,” he asked, “why hasn’t he mustered the courage to tell Tinubu to suspend Nigeria’s diplomatic relations with Israel?”
He described Fani-Kayode’s outrage as selective and performative, saying: “So we should pretend not to see Israeli support simply because FFK has declared it taboo? What a joke.”
Atiya pointed out that true enemies of Plateau’s peace and progress are not only external but also “those dressed as patriots, speaking fluent English, commentating from comfortable homes.”
He praised Governor Mutfwang as a real leader “on the ground trying to fix decades of neglect and pain,” despite the noise from detractors.
“No matter how many voices they buy,” he concluded, “the truth remains unshaken — Plateau deserves peace, not propaganda.”
