Mediocrity Masquerading as Influencer: Misinformation in Ekiti State Health Discourse
By Idowu Ephraim Faleye +2348132100608
Social media and the internet have given rise to a dangerous illusion of intelligence. In this new age, noise often replaces knowledge, confidence replaces competence, and outrage replaces facts. People with little understanding of governance now parade themselves as public intellectuals, shaping opinions not through research or evidence, but through emotional outbursts and calculated misinformation. This is how mediocrity is repackaged as activism, and ignorance dressed as courage.
This distorted reality has serious consequences. Policies that require context are judged by fragments. Budgets that should be read holistically are attacked line by line. And governance, which is complex by nature, is reduced to cheap social media drama. Unfortunately, this is exactly what played out in the recent attack on the Ekiti State health budget by a social media influencer called VeryDarkMan who relied entirely on second-hand information supplied by a personality whose sole credential is kinship to a former Governor- another person as uninformed as himself.
Without conducting any investigation, without understanding how health systems work, and without studying budget trends, the influencer launched into a barrage of accusations against the Ekiti State Government. His conclusions were not based on data or analysis, but on assumptions, half-truths, and emotional exaggeration. To his followers, it sounded bold. To anyone who understands governance, it was reckless misinformation.
The core of his argument was that the allocation to Primary Health Care was “meagre” and therefore proof that the government had abandoned the people. On the surface, this sounded sympathetic. But sympathy without knowledge is dangerous. Health budgeting is not driven by sentiment. It is driven by need assessment, performance records, system strength, and sustainability.
Primary Health Care in Ekiti State is not a failing sector begging for emergency intervention. On the contrary, it is one of the most functional and successful aspects of governance in the state. Over the years, Ekiti has deliberately invested in strengthening its primary healthcare system. Facilities have been upgraded, health workers trained and deployed, service delivery improved, and access expanded across rural and urban communities.
Because of this progress, Primary Health Care in Ekiti no longer requires bloated or reckless budgeting to prove relevance. A sector that is already performing well needs maintenance, innovation, and targeted support, not wasteful spending. This is a basic principle of responsible governance that armchair critics often fail to grasp.
More importantly, the influencer either did not know or deliberately ignored the fact that the health sector is broader than Primary Health Care. Health care is divided into primary, secondary, and tertiary levels. Primary care handles prevention and basic services. Secondary care covers general hospitals and specialized treatment. Tertiary care provides advanced and highly specialized medical services. Serious health planning considers all these levels together.
By focusing narrowly on Primary Health Care and ignoring secondary and tertiary health allocations, the influencer presented a misleading and incomplete picture. This selective outrage was not analysis; it was manipulation. It was designed to provoke anger, not to inform the public.
The depth of misinformation becomes even clearer when population figures are examined. Ekiti State’s population was officially recorded at about three million during the last national census. Since no new census has been conducted, current figures can only be based on reasonable population growth projections. Using standard demographic growth rates, Ekiti’s population today is estimated to be slightly above four million.
There has been no industrial boom attracting mass migration. There has been no demographic explosion. Yet, in a shocking display of ignorance, the influencer casually claimed that Ekiti State has a population of twenty million. This is not a minor error. It is statistical fiction. Population growth follows known demographic patterns, not social media imagination. When someone invents figures on this scale, it clearly shows that they are not analyzing reality but manufacturing fake news to excite an uninformed audience.
Even more embarrassing for the misinformation campaign is the actual budget data. Contrary to claims of neglect, Ekiti State’s health budget has increased steadily over the years. In 2023, the total approved health budget stood at about ₦7.79 billion. In 2024, it rose to approximately ₦10.81 billion. By 2025, the allocation increased sharply to over ₦21.15 billion.
This is not accidental. It is deliberate policy choice. Within two years, health sector funding nearly tripled. Governments that do not value health do not expand spending at this scale. These figures alone expose the dishonesty behind claims that Ekiti State is abandoning healthcare.
Budgeting is not done for applause. It is done for impact. Ekiti State has chosen to focus on systems rather than noise. One of the most notable innovations in this regard is the Ulerawa Health Insurance Scheme. While many states are still struggling to implement the Basic Health Care Provision Fund effectively, Ekiti designed a complementary insurance model that works.
Ulerawa has reduced financial barriers to healthcare for thousands of citizens. Pregnant women, children, the elderly, and vulnerable groups can now access medical care without the fear of catastrophic spending. Because of its success, other states have visited Ekiti to understudy the scheme. Governments do not understudy failure. They understudy success.
The results of these reforms are visible in health outcomes. Ekiti State now ranks among the top five states on the NCDC disease surveillance scorecard. This means the state is better prepared for early disease detection and response. In a country where disease outbreaks often overwhelm systems, this level of preparedness is significant.
Maternal and child health indicators have also improved. More women deliver under the care of skilled health professionals. Infant mortality has reduced. Maternal deaths have declined. These are not abstract statistics. They represent real lives saved and families preserved.
Health workers have been recruited and deployed strategically across the state. Doctors, nurses, midwives, and community health workers are no longer concentrated only in urban centers. Rural communities now enjoy better access to professional care, reducing inequality.
Immunization coverage has expanded, and preventable childhood diseases have declined. Each vaccinated child represents a healthier future and long-term social stability. Mental health services, long neglected in Nigeria, are also receiving attention in Ekiti, recognizing the pressures facing modern society.
When these facts are considered together, the conclusion is unavoidable. Ekiti State’s health sector is not neglected. It is structured, evidence-driven, and people-focused. The claims of abandonment collapse under the weight of data.
The real danger lies elsewhere. Social media has created an ecosystem where misinformation spreads faster than truth. Influencers with no understanding of policy now command attention simply because they are loud. They rely on second-hand information from equally uninformed sources, while followers mistake confidence for knowledge.
As elections approach, this problem will worsen. The political season attracts heavily paid propagandists whose real target is not public welfare but political power. Their objective is not love for the masses but the seat on which the governor is sitting. Facts will be twisted. Figures will be inflated. Emotions will be weaponized.
The public must therefore be vigilant. Not every loud voice speaks truth. Not every viral video carries knowledge. In an election season, misinformation is a tool, and influencers are often the hired hands. Citizens must demand facts, context, and evidence, because governance cannot be judged by noise, and the future cannot be entrusted to propaganda.
*©️ 2026 EphraimHill DataBlog*
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