Nigerian popular comedian and activist, Debo Adedayo, also known as Mr Macaroni, has said the belief that ‘Nigerians can survive against all odds’ is working against Nigerians.
Mr Macaroni disclosed this at the New Media Conference held in Lagos.
The comedian, who was one of the panelists urged young Nigerians to play active parts in the 2023 elections.
He said; “Nigerians have been cursed with the spirit of survival. The average Nigerian will tell you, ‘We are in Nigeria. Nothing will change’. It is a curse. If a certain people are okay, I understand (having that mentality).’’
“I have had this argument a lot of times and people tell me, ‘Macaroni do you know what poverty is’? I know that people are suffering. But, freedom comes by struggle; it does not come on a platter of gold. For those of us who have realised that with or without the elections, we will still eat; we must do away with that spirit of ‘I don’t care’. Get involved.”
When asked if social media should be regulated, Macaroni said; “They (government) are not doing well. They can only be thinking of social media regulation because we are in a system where there are no consequences. For instance, we have corrupt police officers and politicians. Have they (because of that) wiped out the entire police force? No, they cannot. Even the adjustment we asked them to do that would be a form of regulation, have they done that? No! If Mr Macaroni tweets something that aims to insult or misinform, punish Mr Macaroni. Don’t punish the entire social media space. People use social media for different purposes. The politicians clamouring for the regulation of social media used it to get to where they are. I have noticed that the government likes to use social media when it favours them but when they see that people are using that platform to hold them accountable, they turn the story around.”