X user Nurse Ugbede apologises over “smelly Lagos” post

An X user simply identified as Nurse Ugbede has apologised for calling Lagos a “smelly city”.

In a viral post on Sunday, she wrote: “Lagos is a smelly city. People smell, the streets smell, and the gutters smell, the water smells, everything is smelly, I’m tired!”

Ugbede, who works as a health professional for Lagos State Government, however soon faced criticism for her comments.

Among her critics, one X user named BayoObidient wrote a public message to the government, calling for her dismissal.

BayoObidient wrote, “Dear @followlasg, this lady @nurse_ugbede that you have empowerered over Aworis, Ìjẹ̀bús, Ẹ̀gbás, Ilajes and other Yorùbás in Lagos has now spat over your face. You’re leaving the lives and economy of Lagos in the hands of people that haate their employers.

“No private firm will ever accept this public ridicule from an employee she pays, we all know how it will end.

“If @jidesanwoolu and @mudashiru_obasa will not start demanding respect from people that are taking jobs away from aboriginals, we will also not stop adding external LEGAL pressure until we get the desired respect.

“Will it be too much to ask that this lady be asked to respectfully get a job from her saner state of Origin or at best, her region???”

Following the backlash, Ugbede said on November 12 that her words were twisted and that she was only raising a matter of public concern.

“As for the ‘Lagos state’ tweet. It’s been obvious that people changed the narrative to me hating Lagos and talking down on Lagos, that’s not true. People around me know I love Lagos, and I believe as a worker and Tax payer, I have the rights to express a topic of concern to me and everyone in this city. I also realized that my comment on ‘the people’ was offensive and derogatory and I apologize for that, but that was not what I intended,” she wrote.

On Wednesday, she issued a rebuttal to say she was sorry for her post, describing Lagos as a great city.

“I refer to my tweet of Sunday, 10/11/24 on ‘Smelly Lagos’. I am very sorry over this act of mine. Lagos is a Great city, livable, land of opportunities with nice and friendly people. Please accept my unreserved apology over my action which is highly regrettable,” she wrote.