Our father, GFSR’: Drama as Edo governor Okpebholo struggles to pronounce Tinubu’s national honour title

‘Our father, GFSR’: Drama as Edo governor Okpebholo struggles to pronounce Tinubu’s national honour title (Video)

After failing to spell out number correctly in 2024, Okpebholo struggles to pronounce Tinubu’s national honour title

Edo governor, Monday Okpebholo, has stirred reactions as he struggled to pronounce President Bola Tinubu’s official national honour title correctly.

In a viral video, while observing protocol in his speech, Okpebholo referred to the President as “our father, President Bola Tinubu GS… GFSR.”

The President’s correct title is GCFR (Grand Commander of the Federal Republic).

The GCFR is Nigeria’s highest national honor. It is customarily awarded to the President of Nigeria, and in this case, it was conferred upon Bola Ahmed Tinubu upon his inauguration as president. This title signifies his role as President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.

This is not the first time the governor has been caught suffering from a gaffe during a speech. In December 2024, the governor was unable to spell out the state’s budget figuresfor 2025 during a presentation at the Edo State House of Assembly .

Okpebholo struggled with the actual budget total, over N600 billion, and made a mess of the figures in words.

“The Edo State 2025 (sic) appropriation bill of six billion (sic)… six hundred and fif…(sic) six hundred and five billion, seventy six thou… seventy-six million, seventy-six… Let me take it again,” Okpebholo said during the presentation.

“Five hundred and six billion… six hundred and five billion, sorry… seven hundred, seventy-six billion (hisses)… sorry, it is confusing me.

“Okay, six, sorry, six… six hundred and five billion… and details of the budget propose… proposal for your consideration and approval.”

After the mild drama, members of the assembly present applauded him.

Okpebholo, an All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, won the Edo governorship election that was held in September 2024, after defeating his closest rivals, Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Olumide Akpata of the Labour Party (LP).

With previous speech gaffes still fresh in public memory, do you think this is just an innocent tongue-twist, or does it raise concerns about attention to detail at the highest level of leadership? Share your views in the comments.