Nigerian actor and social commentator Adebowale Adedayo, popularly known as Mr Macaroni, has explained why he has reduced his public criticism of the government.
He said he became tired of repeating the same messages, while also facing backlash from Nigerians and threats over his activism.
Mr Macaroni was reacting to a Wazobia FM video posted on Tuesday about threats he received during the EndSARS protests. On Wednesday, he said on X that the interview was more than two years old but insisted that the issues he raised were still 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.
He also recalled his March 2026 description of President Bola Tinubu’s administration as “the Most Useless Government in the history of Useless Governments”, saying that was when he decided to take a break.
Mr Macaroni said a small number of politicians continue to affect the lives of over 200 million Nigerians “so brazenly without any resistance.”
He added that Nigerians must move beyond a “survival mentality” before real change can happen.
“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.”
In the older interview, Mr Macaroni also spoke about the personal cost of his activism.
“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.
He said he had no interest in joining politics and recalled how some people he admired from secondary school and university later entered politics and, in his view, damaged their legacies.
Mr Macaroni also recalled the threats he faced after EndSARS and how worried his family became.
“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 remained active during the 2023 election, urging Nigerians to vote wisely and stating who he planned to vote for without telling others to support the same candidate.
“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 his position brought 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.
He said the election outcome also made him less willing to keep talking about politics.
“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.
