Former Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Solomon Dalung, has urged the public to exercise restraint in the controversy surrounding Anthony Kila’s academic credentials and professional reputation.
Dalung warned that the intense public scrutiny could overshadow the human cost of the controversy, calling on Kila’s friends and associates to check on his well-being.
In a statement titled “Anthony Kila: Let the Truth Come Out, But Please, Let Us Not Lose a Human Life,” the former minister said the allegations deserved investigation but cautioned against public humiliation.
He stressed that his appeal was not intended to shield Kila from accountability or discourage legitimate questions about his academic qualifications.
According to him, the facts must be established, questions answered and appropriate consequences applied if wrongdoing is proven.
“But beyond the headlines, the investigations and the arguments on social media, there is a human being who must live through this experience,” Dalung said.
He expressed concern that people who once celebrated an individual’s achievements could quickly turn against the person when controversy emerges.
Dalung said public criticism could turn past achievements and present difficulties into subjects of ridicule, with little consideration for the personal consequences.
He urged those close to Kila to reach out, visit him where possible and offer genuine support during the difficult period.
“PLEASE, LET THOSE CLOSE TO ANTHONY KILA CHECK ON HIM,” he appealed.
Dalung also recalled the tragic case of Andy Jason, saying it raised painful questions about the human cost of public controversy.
However, he cautioned against assuming that Jason’s circumstances were the same as Kila’s or claiming to know what Kila might be experiencing privately.
The former minister maintained that compassion and accountability were not mutually exclusive.
“If the allegations are established, the consequences must follow. But we must never become so consumed by the desire to expose another person’s failings that we forget the value of the person whose failings we are discussing,” he said.
Dalung insisted that public figures should remain open to scrutiny but should not be stripped of their dignity in the process.
“No academic title is worth more than a human life,” he said.
He urged Nigerians to allow the facts to emerge while resisting the temptation to turn the controversy into an occasion for personal humiliation.
“Let the truth come out. Let justice take its course. But let us not lose our humanity in the process,” Dalung said.