[TRENDING VIDEO] ‘She should be arrested,’ Nigerians condemn Nollywood actress video of toddler steering moving car
Nollywood actress Yetunde Barnabas has faced criticism on X after sharing a video showing her young son holding the steering wheel while sitting on her lap in a moving vehicle.
In the viral clip, the actress holds her son as he appears to steer the car. She jokingly describes him as a big boy who is approaching his first birthday.
“Hi, my son is driving. He is a big boy now, he is turn one soon,” she said.
Click the link to watch the video.
The video has sparked widespread reactions, with several X users describing the act as dangerous and calling for the actress to face consequences. Others, however, defended her, arguing that similar videos are shared elsewhere.
An X user, called for her immediate arrest, writing: “She should be arrested immediately. Endangering lives, no seat belt, child should be in a child car seat and well belted. Arrest her!”
Another X user criticised the actress’s judgement, saying: “From the movies she produces, you can just tell that she’s irresponsible”.
An X user described the incident as dangerous and warned about the possible consequences for the child and other road users.
“This is wrong, stupid and unsafe. It’s a serious risk to herself, to her son and to the public at large. This nonsense can easily go wrong, cause an accident and lead to the death of the child, her own death or the death of an innocent road user or pedestrian- just because a foolish reckless mother wants to do a social media video. In a sane country, this video should be getting her a date with child safety and social services and they will be questioning if she’s fit to be a parent.”
Another user, however, appeared to dismiss the criticism, writing: “You people need to go outside and touch grass 😂”
An X user who reacted in Yoruba wrote: “Iwa werey shaa pọ lọwọ Yetunde Barnabas. She allowed her toddler to handle a steering while driving. Afọwọfa buruku 😏”
Another commenter described the actress as “a big fool”, while a separate user questioned the lack of consequences for such behaviour.
“it’s only in nigeria that a mother can drive with her baby sitting on her lap, his hands on the steering wheel, post a video of it, and still face absolutely no consequences.”
Fatai Ibrahim also called for the actress’s driving licence to be withdrawn, writing: “You should lose your license 🪪 in a working country!”
Safety concerns and calls for FRSC intervention
Beyond the general criticism, an X user highlighted the potential dangers of allowing a toddler to sit on a driver’s lap and hold a steering wheel while a vehicle is moving.
The user warned that an accident or airbag deployment could cause fatal injuries to the child, noting that toddlers have relatively larger heads, weaker neck muscles and developing spines.
The user advised parents to use appropriate child restraint seats, explaining that they are designed to support children’s bodies and distribute the force of a crash. The post also recommended placing children in the back seat, away from the dashboard and front airbags.
The user further alleged that the actress’s actions violated Section 126 of the National Road Traffic Regulations, the Nigeria Highway Code and relevant Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) offence codes.
The post called on the FRSC to investigate the incident, claiming that the child’s involvement with the steering wheel meant the driver did not have full and unobstructed control of the vehicle.
The user wrote: “What this lady is doing in this video is a clear violation of:
1.Section 126 of the National Road Traffic Regulations
2.Nigeria Highway Code
3.FRSC offense codes (practical enforcement categories), particularly Child Restraint Violation (CRV), Child Sitting Position Violation (CPV), and Dangerous Driving (DGD), because the child was interfering with the steering (hand on the wheel) and the driver no longer has full, unobstructed control of the vehicle.
If convicted, she’s liable to pay up to N58,000 in fines or serve 6 months’ imprisonment, or both. @FRSCNigeria, take action!”
Another X user linked the incident to a similar video involving comedian Carter Efe, questioning the enforcement of traffic laws in Nigeria.
“One of the reasons I wouldn’t want to live in Nigeria. An innocent person can easily be killed as a result of someone’s stupid actions. The other day @carterefe__ did the same thing
Everybody does as they deem fit. I question the essence of having laws if they won’t be enforced”
A separate user also urged the FRSC to intervene, describing the incident as a serious road safety concern.
“This is a serious traffic violation and a massive safety hazard. @FRSCNigeria needs to look into this kind of reckless driving behaviour.”
The video has continued to generate debate on social media, with users divided between those condemning the actress’s actions and others who believe the criticism is excessive.