Nigerian comedian and actor Adebowale Adedayo, popularly known as Mr Macaroni, has responded to a social media protest urging citizens to unfollow celebrities who do not speak against bad governance.
A protester on X (formerly Twitter), with the handle TeniBegiloju, shared a placard urging Nigerians to stop following celebrities who remain silent about the current economic hardship. The protester specifically praised Mr Macaroni, stating that he is the only celebrity who deserves public support.
However, Mr Macaroni disagreed with this call. He explained that celebrities are also ordinary citizens and should not be pressured into activism if they do not wish to participate. He emphasized that true change must come from the people, not just famous individuals.
He pointed out that many Nigerians do not take action when they see injustice happening around them. He gave an example of how people would rather record or walk past police brutality instead of stopping it but would later criticize celebrities for not speaking out.
Mr Macaroni stressed that advocacy should be a personal choice. He noted that some celebrities prefer to keep their opinions private, and it is unfair to force them to speak on social issues.
In his closing remarks, he stated that when Nigerians genuinely want change, they will not wait for celebrities to lead the movement. Instead, they will take action themselves and become the leaders of the change they desire.
