Nigerian radio host Osi Suave ignited an online flurry of corrections and discussions when she openly pointed out Hon. Natasha Irobosa Osawaru, a representative in the Edo State House of Assembly, for misusing the term née during her self-introduction at a parliamentary session.
In an online video that went viral shortly after being posted, Natasha presented herself as “ née Idibia” (Referring to Nigerian artist Innocent Idibia, commonly known as his stage name, as her fiancé.)
This opening sparked immediate skepticism, with numerous people doubting her comprehension of the French-originated word "née."
This term, commonly employed in more official contexts, signifies "born as" and is typically positioned preceding a female’s birth name, which refers to her last name prior to getting married.
Osi Reacts
The well-known media figure Osi Suave was straightforward in his response. He took to Twitter to post:
Take a look at this ignorant person. 'Née' refers to someone being born with a particular name. In other words, it’s your birth name or the original surname you were given before any changes occurred, typically after getting married.
His straightforward critique soon went viral, sparking a grammar battle on social media that intertwined with ongoing discussions about the contentious connection between Natasha and 2Baba.
However, who is Hon. Natasha Osawaru?
Honorable Natasha, aged 30, is emerging as a notable personality in Edo State’s political sphere. As the Deputy Majority Leader at the state House of Assembly, she represents Egor Constituency under the banner of the People's Democratic Party (PDP). Recently though, much of the spotlight has been directed towards aspects of her private life rather than her professional endeavors in governance.
Earlier this year, he sparked an online frenzy when he openly expressed his love for Natasha and called her his "future wife," after months of rumors.
A lot of fans viewed this as a betrayal of his long-standing marriage to Annie Idibia, particularly considering the timing coincided with their recently experienced marital issues.
Twitter reacts
Hon. Natasha’s clumsy usage of "née" during her introduction has captivated the internet. Here are some reactions from Nigerian Twitter users:
@SquadNavigators Shame wears my G-string. Olodo doesn't even understand how to use the term.
@Mo_Reec Isn’t it meant to be the opposite way around? Hon. Natasha Idibia,née Osawaru? Really!
@MozieVin This is the most foolish statement I've come across today. Regardless of marriage, 'née' refers to your birth surname rather than your spouse's.
@Donald Angbas What is Née Idibia referring to? Isn’t she too unobservant to understand where and how it’s applied? By the way, why is the meeting so chaotic?
@seowriter “Doesn’t 'née' typically precede someone’s maiden name—the last name they had before marriage?”
@D_Conservatives How did that boastful and arrogant home-wrecker manage to join? Edo falls short of Lagos in every aspect.
Others, like @African_unifier , tried to justify the relationship:
“It’s settled; they are married.”
And others were simply confused by the whole story:
@Precious_jr21 I'm not sure if 2Baba used juju on her or if she used juju on 2Baba. It all confuses me.
Critics highlighted the chaotic environment depicted in the video from the Edo Assembly plenary session, describing it as "tumultuous" and "unprofessional."
It remains to be observed whether this instance will result in improved grammatical standards within political spheres.
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