Martins Vincent Otse — better known to Nigerians as VeryDarkMan has a traditional title to his name.
The social critic was honoured on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, by Oba Abdulrasheed Adewale Akanbi, the Oluwo of Iwo and Paramount Ruler of Iwoland, at a palace ceremony in Osun State. The monarch conferred on him the title Atayese One of Nigeria, Orisha Nla.
Photos from the palace showed VDM in a bright Aso Oke outfit receiving the honour before palace chiefs and supporters, with the Oluwo in full regalia welcoming him.
The moment everyone replayed
The title itself wasn’t what dominated timelines. It was the sight of VDM, a man whose entire public brand is built on deference to nobody, lowering himself flat on the ground before the Oluwo, in keeping with Yoruba custom.
He had arrived at the palace alongside Southwest coordinators of his Ratel movement, and the crowd around the ceremony recorded everything.
Reactions split down familiar lines
The response tracked the two camps VDM has always drawn. Supporters framed it as vindication the poor man’s son who now commands real influence, proof that integrity pays. Others treated it as more theatre from a performer they’ll happily keep watching, half-joking that they enjoy being manipulated by him.
Why this lands
There’s a reason the prostration travelled further than the title. VDM’s whole appeal rests on refusing to bow to anyone politicians, celebrities, institutions. Watching him submit to traditional authority isn’t a contradiction so much as a clarification: the deference is reserved for the throne, not the state. It’s also a signal of where his movement is looking for legitimacy next, and the Southwest turnout at the palace wasn’t accidental.
