By Alex Frederick
A viral video showing a political leader wading through floodwaters and climbing onto rooftops to console displaced residents has sparked widespread admiration and confusion across Nigerian social media.
Originally posted on X (formerly Twitter), the clip was captioned to portray the man as the President of Gabon. Dressed in a black jacket, white shirt, and blue cap, the leader is seen stepping out of a black SUV into a flooded community, flanked by security operatives and aides. He proceeds through knee-deep muddy water to assess the damage and speak directly with victims.
In one powerful moment, he climbs onto a rooftop where several stranded residents had sought safety. He is seen listening attentively, offering words of comfort, and gesturing empathetically actions that drew praise from Nigerian users who contrasted his hands-on approach with what they described as the aloofness of some African leaders.
As the video continues, the official is shown inspecting the area alongside local authorities, walking carefully through submerged streets. Though the audio of his speech is largely inaudible, the visuals of his presence and concern resonated with many.
However, shortly after the video gained traction, fact-checkers and users pointed out a crucial correction: the man is not the President of Gabon, but rather Christian Kitungwa Muteba, Governor of Tanganyika Province in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Despite the misidentification, the footage continued to trend in Nigeria, with many users applauding the governor’s action and expressing longing for similar engagement from their own leaders.
@mc2purtion: “If there’s flooding in Nigeria, our ‘presido’ would be in France inspecting it from there. And you say Tinubu is performing? I laugh in tongues.”
@tanimola: “This just gives me more reasons to regret being Nigerian with the leaders we’ve had… no Nigerian president has ever done this.”
@rosenambozo: “Seeing a leader engage directly with flood victims shows real leadership. Governance should be service, not just politics.”
Others called out the misrepresentation:
@jbruce64: “That is NOT the President of Gabon!”
@cameraman: “This is a governor in DRC. The post author is misleading people.”
@tribekenyan: “The man is Christian Kitungwa Muteba, Governor of Tanganyika Province, DRC.”
The video, though misattributed, has reignited conversations around accountability and presence in leadership during times of crisis. Many Nigerians voiced their desire for more grounded, responsive governance—regardless of borders.
