By ÌHÈ
The recent viral video of the dancing UI Student Union President Temidayo Adeboye, where he was seen “tearing steps,” has garnered many reactions from students across the university community whom he represents. While most find it genuinely amusing, some argue that it is not. In a recent UCJ’UI publication, Seyi Ezekiel, the projector of the dance video, issued a damage‑control statement and removed the clip from his TikTok account. Seyi Ezekiel explained that the video was recorded earlier in April, not during the Union’s ongoing clashes and crises. Yet the takedown came at a time many would consider ‘late,’ since the video had already gone viral. Still, removing it was the best step for the days ahead.
The Action
All humans respond to stimuli. The stimulus can be anything, such as a scent, a pleasant sight, or even certain sounds, like well-tailored music. The action of the Student’s Union President could be seen as a simple act of responding to a particular stimulus, which in his case was music. Is it wrong to dance? Well, there could be several possible answers to that question. It is never a “yes” or “no” answer. Some premises have to be provided in order for one to fully answer such a question. The answer to the question would depend solely on the premise or circumstances upon which the action of “tearing steps” was performed.
In the case of the Union President, he acted with every sense of freedom, as he is allowed as a human to have. From the comfort of his office, he danced a few steps, together with Mr Seyi Ezekiel, his friend, a one-time aspirant for the post of a Public Relations Officer in the Students’ Union. From the expressions on their faces, one would possibly overlook it as a simple moment of bonding and capturing memories between friends. After all, most people do it with their friends these days. Even a simple action like that may not remain simple for someone in public office, especially once the action becomes visible to the public.
The Implications
There is such a thing as the law of cause and effect. The video’s release to the public already implies an image painted on a canvas of ‘not‑so‑good’ quality, with chapped paintbrushes and overly diluted paint. It appeared online at a time when the Union faced major issues. Although Seyi has attempted to clear the assumption that the video was recorded then, its release timing still lingers in the minds of many who may not know the story behind that timeline.
Again, the video was not deleted until after it went viral. As a result of that, a good number of people who saw it were very quick to save it. As of the time of this writing, a lot of people have begun creating content with the said video. Some of the contents might have been created to suggest that Adeboye is a friendly person. But interpretation is not up to the people who create content; it is up to the viewers of the content. And that is where the major poison lies.
Sitting in a public office exposes one to the scrutiny and judging eyes of the people, and the “diligent” leader is not left out. Having established this fact, it is important to explain that the people not only saw Mr Adeboye Temidayo, they saw the President of the Union and by consequence the whole image of what the students of the University of Ibadan look like. This is because of the position he holds.
So, when they talk about the video and their opinions of it, they talk about UI Students and their opinions of them. It would have been better if Mr Seyi had sat down to think about the volcano of actions that would erupt when he posted the video on his TikTok handle. He may have deleted it, but that doesn’t erase the agitation of the students. “If Tinubu had danced since 2022 and the video was posted now in the crisis the country is in, what would the public say?”
Seyi Ezekiel’s damage‑control statement still leaves the concern alive: the video was shot only moments after one of the students was harassed. Even at the time the video was claimed to have been made, student welfare issues persisted, especially the electricity supply problem on campus, and the Union leadership seemed silent.
The Way Forward
People must still be people, that is for sure. But, it is important that someone occupying a public office should keep their personal life away from their professional life. If the video had been shot in his room in a singlet, it would not have raised as much dust as it did. But, it wasn’t. It was shot in the office of the President of the Union, and that’s where the issue is. Teleological ethics would say that the rightness or wrongness of an action depends on the circumstances or premises upon which such an action was performed. Is it wrong to sleep? No. Is it wrong to sleep on duty? Absolutely, and if the video were released on social media, you would be criticised.
Social media, do not forget, and let others know the world expects more from you and wants you to make mistakes, even when you think all is well, you just have to be in a public office. After all, small actions seldom stay small; they echo into consequences.
