Old Protest Video Falsely Linked to Nigerian Finance Minister Wale Edun’s Resignation
The Claim
A viral video circulating on X,[1] Facebook,[2] and Instagram[3] claims to show Nigerian civil servants staging a mock funeral ceremony to celebrate the resignation of former Finance Minister Wale Edun in April 2026.
The footage shows a white coffin placed on blue chairs beneath a tent, alongside a framed portrait of Edun and what appears to be a condolence register. People are seen writing in the book while others laugh, record videos, and imitate mourning sounds.
Posts sharing the clip alleged that members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) organized the symbolic funeral following Edun’s departure from office.
What CyberPoe Verified
Verification shows the claim is false.
The video predates Wale Edun’s resignation and is unrelated to any farewell event at Nigeria’s Ministry of Finance.[1]
The footage actually documents a protest staged in December 2025 by contractors demanding unpaid government dues.[2]
Original Context of the Video
Reverse image tracing and archive searches located the same footage in Facebook posts published on December 3, 2025 months before Edun resigned.
The protest involved indigenous contractors who accused the Nigerian government of failing to pay more than ₦500 billion for completed contracts.
During the demonstration outside the Federal Ministry of Finance, protesters displayed a symbolic coffin to dramatize their frustration over delayed payments and economic hardship.
Multiple visual elements in the viral clip match the original protest footage, including the white coffin, blue chairs, banners, and tent arrangement.
What Protesters Actually Said
In the original recordings, speakers at the protest directly addressed the issue of unpaid contracts.
One protest leader declared that contractors had gathered with the coffin as a warning to officials allegedly responsible for withholding payments. The protest was framed as economic pressure on the government rather than a political celebration tied to Edun’s resignation.
Local Nigerian media outlets also covered the December 2025 protest and published additional photographs and footage from the event.[1]
Context Behind Edun’s Resignation
Wale Edun stepped down as Nigeria’s finance minister in April 2026 after serving since August 2023.
While early speculation suggested he had been dismissed, official statements later clarified that he resigned for health-related reasons. Discussions about his health had already circulated months earlier following reports that he suffered a stroke in late 2025.
He was replaced by Taiwo Oyedele, former chair of Nigeria’s presidential committee on fiscal and tax reforms.
Why the Video Resurfaced
The footage resurfaced because Edun’s resignation triggered intense political debate online, particularly among opposition supporters critical of the APC government.
Old protest visuals were repurposed and reframed to suggest internal humiliation or celebration within government circles, despite no evidence connecting the contractors’ demonstration to Edun’s departure.
CyberPoe Verdict ❌
False Context.
The viral mock funeral video is unrelated to Wale Edun’s resignation as Nigeria’s finance minister.
The footage actually shows a December 2025 protest by contractors demanding unpaid government contract fees outside the Ministry of Finance.
