Betty Akeredolu, the widow of late Ondo State Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, has come under heavy criticism after referring to Nigeria as a “zoo country” on social media. The former First Lady, who holds a PhD, made the remark while commenting on the stark differences between the 2023 Nigerian and 2024 U.S. presidential elections.

On her X (formerly Twitter) account, Akeredolu posted a comparison of the two elections, highlighting that Nigeria’s 2023 presidential election had a total of 25 million votes cast, which took five days to count, while the U.S. election saw 155 million votes cast, with results counted in just about 10 hours. She wrote, “Moral: When dishonesty is prioritised, simple things become difficult,” alluding to the challenges faced during Nigeria’s electoral process.

Her post drew a variety of reactions, but one comment, in particular, caught her attention. A user named Paulexy, under the handle @paul_oza, agreed with her, stating that Nigeria was “doomed.” Responding to this, Akeredolu shared her own frustration, writing: “Very bitter indeed! Who will rescue Nigeria? What a zoo country.”

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This comment was met with widespread backlash. Many online users quickly took to her post to criticize her choice of words. Some called her a “tribalistic bigot,” accusing her of disrespecting the country that had provided her with opportunities. Critics pointed out that, as the wife of a former governor, she had benefitted from the same system she now denounced.

Several comments took aim at her personal history. One user, CitizenOlu, remarked, “Tribal Bigot Betty strikes again… using the same language as her beloved IPOB terrorists! This i***t benefitted from the country she abused as the wife of a governor in Ondo state!” Others, like Iyo Obietonbara, criticized her for referring to Nigeria as a zoo, stating, “To refer to Nigeria with that word means you are a dimwit. An ingrate, who intends to pull down this country.”

Many commenters also expressed disappointment, arguing that as the widow of a prominent figure in the country, Akeredolu should have chosen her words more carefully. “Zoo country? Same country your husband was SAN, NBA President, and went on to be Governor for close to 8 years. Èé de bẹru Ọlọ́run, ìyá wá,” said one user, reflecting the sentiment of those who felt she had forgotten her roots.