World • 9h ago
We get it RFK Jr: you have abs. Now enough with the slopaganda | Arwa Mahdawi
**Enough of the Slo Paganda, Mr Kennedy**
Imagine a world where the health secretary of a country is more concerned with flexing his muscles than with addressing pressing health issues. Sounds far-fetched, right? Unfortunately, that's the reality we're living in with the antics of Robert F Kennedy Jr, the US health secretary.
While Vladimir Putin's bare-chested horseback riding in Siberia may have been a laughable spectacle, Kennedy's attempts to emulate the Russian leader's macho posturing are simply baffling. Who needs to be the health secretary when you can be the health 'model', right?
Kennedy's obsession with social media has seen him post a series of cringe-worthy videos showcasing his workouts, often in the most unlikely of places. From doing push-ups in an empty car park in blue jeans to teaming up with Kid Rock in a sauna, Kennedy's Slo Paganda (that's Nigerian slang for 'showing off') has taken on a life of its own.
But beneath the veneer of fitness and machismo, there are more pressing issues that Kennedy and his team should be focusing on. Like ensuring airport workers who are missing paychecks due to the partial government shutdown can pay their bills.
As Kennedy continues to prioritize his social media presence over actual policy work, one can't help but wonder what's next. Will he start doing yoga on the White House lawn? Or perhaps host a 'Wellness in the West Wing' initiative, complete with cold plunges and raw milk?
Nigerians know a thing or two about Slo Paganda, especially when it comes to our own politicians. But Kennedy's antics take the cake. When will he get back to doing the job he was elected to do?