BY: Jozxy Otor x Jairus Awo
Like many places where social media interaction is often defined into a community based on location, ideology, or shared interest, the Benue Facebook community; as we have chosen to call it, is a proverbial abode of keyboard powerhouses. This space has raised many activists, created opportunities for some, set precedents, and even helped actualise many dreams. Aside from sharing memes and hot political takes, the Benue Facebook community has nurtured many voices that are contributing to the development of the state through advocacy and activism, effectively bridging the gap between the government and the grassroots. One of the people the community has elevated is Ukeyima John Ukmoni, a perceived vocal advocate for development.
The Birthday Post and the Hawk’s Precision
A few days ago, the Benue Facebook community turned into a live-action courtroom for a messy case of infidelity against one of its own: Ukeyima. It started, as all good dramas do, with a seemingly “innocent” birthday wish from the now-alleged “side-chick” with the Facebook name Beauty Tsehemba. In a now-deleted post, she celebrated Ukeyima, affectionately referring to him as “a friend like a brother.” A classic case of brotherly love, right? Maybe not!
RELATED STORIES
Guinness World Record: 10 Attempts in Benue That Were Never Certified (PHOTOS)
FACTCHECK: Did GWR Affirm “Chef Naira Victor” As The Record Holder For Longest Cooking Marathon?
Benue Scandal: VDM’s NGO Staffer Accused of Adultery by Wife.
Ukeyima is married with two children to a woman identified as “Susan Tseeneke“, who has now decided to speak her mind. A woman who, judging by her outburst, is clearly tired of being a co-star in her own marriage, Susan had allegedly gotten hold of “a lot of evidence” of her husband in loved-up Facebook chats with Beauty Tsehemba. Susan immediately swooped into the comments section with the precision of a hawk. She dropped the question that had everyone gasping for air: “Do you sleep with your ‘brother’?” and crowned Beauty with the inglorious title of “co-wife.” The internet, our ever-present Greek chorus, erupted in cheers and jeers.
The Apology Under Duress
The plot thickened faster than a badly mixed custard. Rumour had it that Beauty had called the police on Susan, demanding that she prove the allegations by tendering the “a lot of evidence” she claimed before the law enforcement agency. Hours later, Susan posted an apology, claiming she had no proof and was sorry for her outburst.
Susan’s apology, already met with widespread scepticism, took on a darker hue when whispers of police involvement surfaced. It turned out this public act of contrition may not have been a genuine change of heart, but a performance under pressure, specifically, after a visit to the station. A Facebook user named Imma Culate claimed that when the husband was asked by the police what action to take, he simply said, “lock her up.” That was the moment it became clear the apology was just the opening act. I mean, how can a case be resolved with a statement like: “As much as I have evidence of their chats, I do not have evidence of them having carnal knowledge of each other.” (SIC). Oh, what a tangled web we weave when we try to pass off a side hustle as a sibling relationship.
The Decoy and the Deluge of Receipts
The real plot twist wasn’t the apology but the deluge of receipts that followed. Screenshots of shocking chats and a friend’s narration painted a starkly different picture. From the screenshots, we saw an ironic “female” Manasseh -a common male given name in the Tiv language—requesting sanitary pads from “her friend, who is like a brother,” after having complained of abandonment and negligence from the “brother.” Manasseh went on to lament how “the person they were chatting with” could afford to give them the life they were asking for, so they could keep other men off, as no man would help them without taking “advantage” of them except for their uncle.
Wait a minute, since the person they were chatting with isn’t their uncle, were they exchanging these “pad-treats” and other side perks for sexual favors? If you are lost as to who Manasseh is, think of it as a decoy—an alias, a nickname. Facebook Messenger has a function where anyone can edit how a profile appears on his or her end. It is now alleged that John Ukeyima must have edited Beauty’s profile appearance to deceive anyone who had access to his messages, including his wife: only for the bushmeat to catch the hunter with details that stop just short of proving “carnal knowledge.”
The “brother” was revealed to be a classic philanderer, a serial heartbreaker who, according to a friend named Imma Culate, slept with the former Nanny and with neighbours (both single and married), all while abandoning his wife and children to cater for themselves alone. While he goes about shuffling between different hotels with different women who are available to have a share of his “community” cake. She detailed the troubles Susan has had to deal with in her marriage to this man: from the husband’s family ganging up against the wife and the husband not living up to his “duties,” to running away from the house to bed different women, only to return when he needs a roof over his head, all according to her Facebook post.
This is where the story shifts from a simple family squabble to a profound, and frankly hilarious, study in human hypocrisy.
Who Is Ukeyima and How is He Connected to VDM?
Think of Ukeyima as one of those popular individuals on Facebook with a large following. They are not originally trained activists but people who can articulate a societal issue so well that the government often pays attention. Before this revelation, Ukeyima was seen as a role model. He was trusted; people looking from afar could favour him because of his hot takes on issues bothering the state.
Earlier this year, during one of the recent attacks on Benue communities by herders, Ukeyima joined several notable Benue youths in a protest to register their dissatisfaction. While in the midst of that protest, VeryDarkMan (VDM), a prominent national influencer, arrived and joined the protest. It was a great moment of solidarity for Benue youths as they felt their voice was heard.
Ukeyima at the time was still an aide to Krayzeetee Atu Terver, the Special Assistant on Youth Mobilisation and Media to Governor Hyacinth Alia. Following the protest, he was relieved of his duty by Atu Terver, and the news circulated that his involvement had cost him his job. When VeryDarkMan heard about this, he announced that he had decided to appoint Ukeyima into his NGO to continue his “good works.” It was a moment of pride for him and an encouragement to other youths.
The Scar on Integrity: VDM’s Dilemma
However, this new wave of sexual scandal has deepened the scrutiny on Ukeyima, causing a major scar on his integrity, as the allegations are coming not just from anybody but from the very woman he has shared his life with for years. The community is now confronted with the reality that a man can be a saint to the world and a philanderer to his wife.
Several reports surfacing online are pointing to numerous other scandals Ukeyima himself has been involved with, creating an indefensible case of tireless scandal for a man people perceived was fighting a good cause.
Now, he mirrors the adulterous pastor whose favorite sermon is on the evils of fornication. His public life is a meticulously crafted façade, a decoy of perceived sainthood designed to deflect from the demons he’s wrestling with in private (If he was/is willing to change) or demons he is trying to hide, so the public never finds out who he really is. Maybe, and just maybe, he has, all along, been building a public image of virtue to counteract a private reality of vice. This is the ultimate form of spiritual laundering, where public praise is used to wash away private shame. He can’t fight his own demons, so he creates a public saint who can.
The simple, eternal lesson here is that the internet, with its relentless memory, serves as the ultimate accountability tool. Ukeyima had built a reputation of gold, but one viral post, and the screenshots that followed has revealed he is really just made of tarnished copper. The entire episode serves as a reminder that the truth, like an embarrassing old tweet, always finds a way to resurface, effectively ending the illusion of Ukeyima’s unblemished integrity.
Will VDM retain Ukeyima, or will he turn a deaf ear to this scandal? The Benue Facebook community will stay tuned, the world is watching, and for Ukeyima, this is definitely not a small blow to his reputation. Will he remain mute? fight underground? or ignore and allow the court of public opinion to determine his next move? Time shall tell.
Opinions are that of the writers and do not reflect the position of Themiddlebelt Reporters
