Popular radio presenter Osikhena Dirisu, popularly known as Osi Suave, has drawn widespread attention online after calling out 2baba’s fiancee Natasha Osawaru, a member of the Edo State House of Assembly, for misusing the term née during a plenary session.
In a viral video recorded during a plenary session of the Edo State House of Assembly, Ms Osawaru introduced herself by stating, “My name is Honourable Natasha Irobosa Osawaru, née Idibia.”
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Her statement drew laughter from several lawmakers, many interpreting it as a public declaration of her romantic involvement with the award-winning musician.
The term née, derived from French, indicates a woman’s maiden name—her surname at birth before marriage.
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It traditionally applies to a legally married woman, not fiancées or unmarried partners.
Though Mr Suave is not a linguist by training, he reacted to the clip on his X handle.
“Look at this illiterate. Née means born. Meaning your maiden name or the name you had at birth before you changed it due to marriage,” he said.
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His remarks sparked a flurry of reactions across social media platforms, with some agreeing with the correction but condemning his tone.
Grammatical blunder
In an interview with PREMIUM TIMES on Friday, linguist and English Language consultant Loveth Orva clarified the correct use of the term: “Née is used to introduce a woman’s maiden name and is placed after her married name. So, if she said she is née Idibia, it implies she was born into the Idibia family.”
Ms Osawaru, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), represents the Egor Constituency and previously served as the House’s Deputy Majority Leader.
However, she was recently removed from that position following a shift in party dynamics. Four PDP lawmakers defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), giving the APC a new majority in the Assembly.
Other key figures affected by the reshuffle included Charity Aiguobarueghian, the former Majority Leader, and Yekini Idaiye, the former Chief Whip.
Despite Ms Osawaru’s reported removal, she still maintains the position of Deputy Majority Leader and posts photos of herself in the house in what appears to be an official capacity.
Ms Osawaru has remained a prominent public figure since 2Baba confirmed their relationship in January following his separation from long-time partner and actress Annie Idibia.
In February, the singer proposed to Ms Osawaru, insisting their relationship had nothing to do with his marital split.
READ ALSO: How I handle mistakes, accept responsibility —2Baba
In what appeared to be a response to mounting public scrutiny, Ms Osawaru posted a video on social media, showing herself calm and cheerful at her office desk, dressed in a white outfit and a black hat, while speaking with an unidentified person.
The video, alongside the grammatical gaffe and political controversies, has kept Ms Osawaru in the public spotlight—fueling debate at the intersection of politics, language, and celebrity culture.
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