Bashir Ahmad, Personal Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on New Media incurred the wrath of some Nigerians on social media over his comment on report of Nicki Minaj’s withdrawal from her planned concert in Saudi Arabia.

Minaj was originally scheduled to headline a concert in the Islamic country on July 18, before announcing that she would not be attending the concert over human rights issues.

Report of the planned concert had sparked social media outrage among Northern Nigerians who condemned the invitation of the American singer to the Islamic country on moral and religious grounds.

Some concerned Nigerians had warned antagonists of the planned concert against turning their outrage into violent agitation, citing previous occurrences where events in foreign Islamic nations turned violent in northern Nigeria.

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Minaj, however, announced on Tuesday that she was pulling out of the concert because she said she wants to show support for women’s rights, gay rights and freedom of expression.

“After careful reflection I have decided to no longer move forward with my scheduled concert at Jeddah World Fest. While I want nothing more than to bring my show to fans in Saudi Arabia, after better educating myself on the issues, I believe it is important for me to make clear my support for the rights of women, the LGBTQ community and freedom of expression,” Minaj said in a statement.

Reacting to the report, Bashir took to his verified Twitter handle to quote the report tweeted by The Voice of America and wrote, “Arewa Twitter wins,” suggesting that the outrage of the northerners was responsible for the singer’s withdrawal from the concert. His tweet was met with criticisms from Nigerians who attacked him for misplacing his priority.

Some of those who lambasted the presidential aide advised him to focus on the numerous challenges confronting the North and stop being overly concerned with what happens in far away Saudi.

 

 

Bashir tweeted:

Arewa Twitter wins… ?????? https://t.co/1unbN6Z27p

— Bashir Ahmad (@BashirAhmaad) July 9, 2019

See some of the reactions:

That moment when a back room staff to embattled Stoke City Manager is busy celebrating Neymar’s Transfer decision. https://t.co/agy9wZcyZH

— Ebube The Statesman (@akaebube) July 10, 2019

Arewa Twitter didn’t win anything. Arewa Twitter should win on:
Almajiranci;
Poverty;
Education;
Infant & maternal mortality;
Insecurity; and
Unemployment. Then you can raise hands about winning something. https://t.co/bEfWyWbt9Y

— Usman Shamaki (@aushamaki) July 10, 2019

This is how I know y’all mastubate with fake news .. she dropped it because of how they treat women and the controversies that come with them. Not because of Muslim Lyon Nigeria who she does not give a fuck about or probably does not know about.

— I AM A PRINCESS ❤️❤️ (@kathyBieb) July 9, 2019

Yet they can’t win Female Genital mutilation war, ending of drug abuse, out of school children war, VVf menace , poverty level, illiteracy rate and all the bad stats that the north is proud of. The only war they can win in their life is dictating how Saudi will behave. Smh mehn

— Dr. G (@iamSwaga01) July 9, 2019

Wish they can also win calling out @MBuhari incompetence and inability to end the insecurity, hunger, unemployment and the gross ethnic division.

— ??? (@rapture0077) July 9, 2019

No Bro. She declined the event to give credence to the values she upholds which Saudi govt opposes such as freedom of speech and equality of all persons including LGBT community. Nigerian’s opinion on Saudi SOCEITY does not count to the Saudi’s govt.

— chinelo Peters (@chinelo_peters) July 9, 2019

Wow, I see where your priorities lie.

No wonder the Northern region still remains the way it has been for decades.

Economic disparities, your people living in abject poverty and perennial fear of their lives but you’re worried about an adult twerking across the Gulf Genius

— IFEANYI (@J_Chiemeke) July 10, 2019

Lol, what has Arewa twitter got to do with her decision to pull out of Saudi Arabia concert?
Chaiii who did this to you, is this the priority of Arewa almajiris? Or those that are languishing in the IDP camps don’t need such victory? Hmmm pic.twitter.com/ZrpcJCwpZ4

— Collins O✌️ (@OkoroCollins11) July 9, 2019

Arewa opinion on the Saudi society doesn’t count to the Saudi govt. Make Arewa try to win on Almajiranci and child marriage fess.

— Man of Gold (@H_gold305) July 9, 2019

Not New universities

Not New ‘Ministers

Not New Infrastructures

Not New Job Numbers

Not Boko Haram, Bandits, Killer Herdsmen decimated.

Not IDP camps rehabilitation

Not New Kano Rice

Arewa Twitter eyes will open soon!

— Otunba Adeola (@AdeolaHaze) July 9, 2019

I wonder if she knows what AREWA is.
We leave our problems and poke nosing into what is not our issue

— Itz’rhizzy (@GodzloveRhizzy) July 9, 2019

Your Tweet should have been ‘Arewa Twitter wins against Child Marriage. No child will be forced out of school to marry at an early age’ . That is where you should channel your energy to!!!! Tueh??.

— jennifer aba amos (@Jenniferabaamo1) July 10, 2019

So Nicki was going to do a concert, with the approval of the government, in Saudi Arabia.
She cancels and your thought is Arewa twitter wins???

Please what part of Saudi belongs to Northern Nigeria ? to be crying more that the bereaved? ?

— Samson (@Highpsalms) July 10, 2019

Misplaced priority. Lets live by prophetic examples first. Not everything that needs to be done is priority. Fairness and justice should be the priority and the rest will look after themselves. Like in Nigeria we wasting time on national governance when the family is dyeing

— Amin Mohammed (@AminMoh37378287) July 9, 2019