Reactions as el-Rufai’s Wife, Shehu Sani Clash on Twitter Over Grammar

Hadiza el-Rufai, the former First Lady of Kaduna State, recently engaged in a public exchange with Senator Shehu Sani on X (formerly Twitter), sparking widespread reactions from Nigerians online.

The dispute began after Sani, a former senator representing Kaduna Central in the 8th Assembly, posted a humorous comment about President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s international travels and their perceived economic impact. Sani quipped, “New law of economics; When the President travels out, Taxes and Prices goes up.”

Hadiza el-Rufai, known for correcting grammar on social media, quickly pointed out the grammatical error in his post, suggesting that the phrase should be “go up” instead of “goes up.”

In response, Sani addressed Hadiza as “mummy” and playfully urged her to leave him alone. He highlighted the fact that despite both unfollowing each other, she still seemed to engage with him on the platform. He wrote, “I unfollowed you and you unfollowed me. And you still de hang around me. Mummy, leave me alone abeg.”

The exchange quickly caught the attention of Nigerians, with many sharing their thoughts in the comment section. Some users criticized Hadiza el-Rufai’s focus on grammar, while others supported her correction or weighed in with their own opinions on the language debate.

Reactions from Nigerians

One user, @Balatic, took a critical stance, writing, “If you converted this grammatical energy into moral energy and channeled it on your husband, Southern Kaduna population for no reduce significantly during his 8 horrible years in charge.”

Another, @AustinINstate, weighed in on the grammar debate, suggesting, “Madam, Uncle senator was right. Do your research, no sentiments please. My little understanding: The correct phrase is ‘price goes up.’ Since ‘price’ is a singular noun, it requires the singular verb ‘goes.'”

@Wasser_02 offered a more sarcastic critique: “For 8 yrs as governor’s wife and chief grammar corrector, Kaduna state didn’t improve or come first in any external English examination. So ma, this Twitter correction is a waste. You can go ahead to correct mine.”

@davidoj_10 lamented the exchange, noting, “If you both advised the government or effected changes in such capacities, we’d be way better than where we are right now, but here you are correcting grammatical errors.”

The incident has sparked a larger conversation about the role of public figures on social media and the balance between humor, grammar, and public accountability.