Nigerian actor and social commentator Adebowale Adedayo, popularly known as Mr Macaroni, has explained why he has scaled back his public criticism of government, citing fatigue from repeating the same messages, backlash from citizens, and threats he faced.

Mr Macaroni was reacting to a video posted by Wazobia FM on Tuesday, where he spoke about life threats he received over EndSARS protests.

In a series of posts on X on Wednesday, the skit maker clarified that the interview was more than two years old but maintained that the points he raised remain valid.

“Forget about the threats. My issue with us as Nigerians is how we move on quickly. We complain and move on. There is nothing I will say now that I haven’t already said hundred times over. Until we as a people are ready to fight for what is ours, saying the same thing over and over again is just TIRING,” he wrote.

In a follow-up post, he pointed to a March 2026 statement in which he described the administration of President Bola Tinubu as “the Most Useless Government in the history of Useless Governments” and said that day marked the moment he decided to take a break.

He added that a small number of politicians continue to ruin the lives of over 200 million Nigerians “so brazenly without any resistance.”

Until Nigerians abandon “survival mentality” that keeps citizens operating in survival mode rather than demanding an enabling environment for success, “then we are truly not ready,” he added.

In another post, Mr Macaroni addressed perceptions around his reduced commentary.

“I have been persecuted and vilified since I started speaking up against Government. Threats are a usual occurrence. Please don’t mix things up. I am only tired of saying the same thing over and over again. When Nigerians are finally ready, I will be ready too! But till then, please let me continue enjoying my break by redefining myself and Art, which I love as dearly as I love Nigeria.”

The Wazobia FM video captures earlier remarks in which Mr Macaroni detailed the personal cost of his activism.

He said speaking out often made him appear to be “the troublesome person,” while some of the Nigerians he sought to represent turned against him.

“Nigeria is a very funny country. Nigerians are also very funny. And I say this with all seriousness, because I’m not so happy about how things have been. And you keep talking, and it seems like you are the troublesome person. It seems like na you be the—the same Nigerians that you speak for turn against you. They start to fight you,” he said.

Mr Macaroni, who said he was not interested in joining politics, also expressed concern about the effect of the political environment on people he once admired.

He recalled how some people he looked up to from his secondary school and university days entered politics and, according to him, damaged the legacies they had built.

Speaking about his activities after #EndSARS, Mr Macaroni said he continued to speak out despite threats to his life and concerns raised by his family.

“So, you know, End SARS came at risk to my life, threats here and there, serious threats. My family, no time, they were every time calling me, crying, ‘Debo, please. Debo, please.’ Every—every blessed time, my mother. Every blessed time. It was so bad they wanted to fly me out of the country. I said, ‘For what? I’m not running anywhere,’” he said.

He said he also remained active during the 2023 election, encouraging Nigerians to vote wisely and stating his preferred candidate without asking others to vote for the same person.

“And I didn’t—I didn’t go silent after End SARS. I still came out. I said, ‘We must vote wisely.’ I did series of videos, series of tweets, series of—and not only me, a lot of other people too did, saying, ‘Vote wisely. Do this, do that wisely.’ And I said, ‘Okay, this is the person me I will vote for.’ I did not say vote—everybody should go and vote for this person,” he said.

He said the response to his position included insults and abuse.

“See curse, see insult. ‘You are a omo ale, you are this one, you are that one.’ Now, everybody—people vote. Whether, uh, rig, I no know, there no rig, e—e no concern me, but president dey, yes or no? E dey,” he said.

Mr Macaroni said the outcome of the election also contributed to his reluctance to repeatedly speak on political matters.

“Now, everything don dey as e be. Is affecting me too. But what—okay, okay, oya, what should I come and say again now?” he said.

Source: punchng.com

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US President Donald Trump on Sunday downplayed reports that Chinese entities supplied Tehran with satellite images of a military base in Jordan before and after an Iranian strike killed three US soldiers.

“You know, when they say that China spies on us, I say you’re right, and we spy on them too,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One a day after The Wall Street Journal reported Beijing’s intelligence sharing.

“That’s what we do. They basically do what we do,” Trump said.

The incident could deepen tensions between Washington and Beijing ahead of a planned state visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping to the White House on September 24.

On July 17, Iran launched missile strikes on the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan, which houses US forces. Three US Army soldiers were killed.

Unnamed American officials cited in the Journal’s reporting did not name the Chinese entities involved, and did not suggest that Beijing was directly to blame.

Chinese officials asked for proof of the transfer of satellite imagery when prodded by the US officials, and refused to acknowledge that Chinese companies were involved in providing Tehran with satellite images, the Journal reported late Friday.

Trump has warned Beijing not to sell weapons to Iran, and in May, Washington sanctioned three China-based satellite companies for enabling Iran’s military operations.

China is a top economic partner of Iran, buying much of its oil output, and also an important diplomatic backer.

Still, Trump said of Xi on Sunday that “he’s behaved reasonably well, and we behave reasonably well.”

Asked if he would ever allow Chinese cars to be sold in the United States, Trump said, “I haven’t. I’m the one that kept them out. The tariffs kept them out.”

AFP

Source: punchng.com

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