Nigeria’s Minister of Works, David Umahi, and Arise News anchor, Rufai Oseni, engaged in a fiery exchange on live television on Tuesday, October 7, 2025, during a broadcast of The Morning Show.
Tension erupted after Oseni questioned the minister about the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway project and reports alleging that Umahi had previously complained about him to President Bola Tinubu.
Visibly angered by the question, Umahi interrupted, saying,
“You are too small for me to report to the President. Stop saying I reported you to the President — you’re too small.”
As the interview grew heated, Oseni pressed further on Umahi’s credentials, questioning his claim to the title of professor of engineering. Umahi responded sharply, saying, “Keep quiet. You don’t understand anything.”
The altercation forced co-anchors Toyosi Etim-Effiong and Ayo Mairo-Ese to intervene in an attempt to restore calm and redirect the conversation back to infrastructure matters.
Clips of the confrontation quickly went viral on social media platforms, drawing widespread reactions from Nigerians.
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While some viewers accused Umahi of being condescending and unprofessional, others defended him, arguing that Oseni’s tone was unnecessarily provocative.
Neither Umahi nor the Ministry of Works has issued an official statement on the incident as of press time.
The Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway, one of the Tinubu administration’s flagship infrastructure projects, has continued to generate public debate over its cost, route alignment, and the displacement of affected communities.