Popular Nigerian comedienne, Apaokaji Maryam (Taaooma), has apologised to millions of fans for meeting Vice President Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) alongside others in Abuja.
She said if she knew phones and other gadgets would be collected from them by security agents, she wouldn’t have attended the meeting.
She declared on Friday that she couldn’t record her conversation with Osinbajo because her electronic gadgets were collected upon entry at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
In a long Twitter thread on Friday, the skit maker mentioned that she might have declined the invitation if she had known her phones would be collected.
Taaooma, alongside a team of skit makers, had on Wednesday paid a visit to Osinbajo on the platform of the Nigeria Skits Industry Awards, led by its promoter, Bimbo Daramola.
Others on the delegation were Josh Alfred (Josh2funny), Ayo Ajewole (Woli Agba), Adebamiro Adeyanju (Mr Hyenana) and Adeoye Adeyemi Elesho (Yemi Elesho).
Talking about the visit, Taaooma earlier claimed that she represented the youth, adding that she spoke to Osinbajo about the Twitter ban and police brutality.
Taaooma stated that she was waiting on the video before defending herself, adding that Osinbajo’s team handled the media since their electronic gadgets were collected from them.
She said: “I was going to wallow in my ‘shame’ and keep mute. But with the way it’s going, it seems the wound will keep getting deep.
“The organiser of the ‘skit awards’ needed more publicity for the event, secured a meeting with the VP and invited so many ‘skit makers’.
“I also declined at first as many others. But then, at the dying minute, I gave it a rethink: what if I pull a Trojan? Gain access to the State House with this ‘skit awards’ thing and say my mind on hot issues.
“Unfortunately for us, after passing through many security checks, all our electronic devices were collected. I couldn’t even go live or record videos.
“All I did was do what others didn’t want to. And trust me, the VP himself was shocked when I started speaking about those issues as that wasn’t his expectations.
“I’m really sorry if I have offended anyone by going that way, but I achieved my aim. I said all I could straight to the VP.
“The VP’s media team were in charge of photos and videos. I might have fully declined if I knew that I won’t be able to go in with my camera or phone.
“The pictures taken after were sent to the ‘skit awards’ PR team. That’s why the photos went out before we got our own hands on it. I started getting tags and some even said I was being ‘called out’.
“My plan was to get the video as soon as it’s ready and post it. But I had no choice than to immediately post the available photo and state what happened at the meeting.
“I hope when the video is ready, everyone will know I’m saying nothing but the truth and my conscience is clear. Once again, I apologise deeply to everyone who felt disappointed.”
