By: Manoah Kikekon
 |
| Mobolaji Ogunlende and Mandy Kiss |
Lagos, Nigeria – The Lagos State Government has officially appointed popular and controversial social media personality, Mandy Kiss, as a brand ambassador for its campaign against drug abuse.
The announcement was madbyon Tuesday by the Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Mr. Mobolaji Ogunlende, at an event organised by the Lagos State Kick Against Drug and Substance Abuse (LASKADA).
The decision, captured in a now-viral video, positions the influencer, whose real name is Ayomiposi Oluwadahunsi, as a key voice in the state's fight against the drug "pandemic." Commissioner Ogunlende justified the choice by emphasising the need for collaboration with individuals who possess significant reach.
“The government cannot fight it alone. We must work in collaboration with those that can reach as many people as possible, and we know Mandy Kiss has a large followership,” Ogunlende stated, highlighting her 402,000-strong online audience as a primary asset for the advocacy campaign.
The appointment comes on the heels of a major public outcry against Mandy Kiss. Just weeks prior, the influencer had generated widespread condemnation after announcing a planned marathon sex act with 100 men, an event she claimed was aimed at the Guinness World Records (GWR).
The GWR swiftly distanced itself from the proposal, clarifying it does not endorse such categories. Although Mandy Kiss later claimed the announcement was a "joke," many Nigerians called for Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to sanction her, making her new role as a government ambassador a startling turnaround.
Addressing the inevitable questions about her controversial past, Commissioner Ogunlende adopted a philosophy of redemption. “Everybody has a past, nobody’s perfect, but again, as a brand ambassador to Legal State Kicks Against Drug Abuse, we hope Mandy Kiss will be able to reach the nooks and crannies, you know, of Lagos to assist us in fighting this pandemic.”
He did not give details on the scope of Mandy Kiss’s duties or any planned campaigns.
LASKADA is saddled with the responsibility of coordinating a multi-sectoral, evidence-based response to the growing menace of drug and substance abuse in Lagos State by leading sustained advocacy, public education, community engagement, policy influence, and research.