Actor Mr Macaroni responds to a protest urging Nigerians to unfollow silent celebrities amid economic hardship, rejecting calls to force activism.
The call for mass unfollowing came from a social media user with the handle @TeniBegiloju on X (formerly Twitter). The protester accused Nigerian celebrities of ignoring the suffering of the masses and claimed that only Mr Macaroni deserved public support.
The protester shared a placard that read, “Nigerians, let’s unfollow all useless celebrities keeping quiet now.” Alongside the image, they wrote, “They don’t deserve our follow. The only person worthy of our respect is Mr Macaroni.”
However, Mr Macaroni strongly opposed this movement. He made it clear that he does not support forcing celebrities to speak out, arguing that they are citizens like everyone else and should not bear an unfair burden.
Celebrities are citizens too
Responding on X, Mr Macaroni urged people not to demand sacrifices from celebrities if they are not willing to make those sacrifices themselves.
“I would never endorse a post like this! Please do not ask celebrities to make sacrifices that the people themselves are not ready to make,” he wrote.
He pointed out that if most citizens remain silent, it is unfair to single out celebrities for blame. He also noted that not every public figure wants to speak about social issues, and forcing them into advocacy is wrong.
“Celebrities are citizens like you. If the majority of the people are quiet, why should we blame celebrities?” he asked.
The dangers of forced advocacy
Mr Macaroni explained that even when celebrities speak up, they often face backlash. He warned against manipulating public figures into taking stands on controversial topics.
“Not all celebrities wish to speak on social issues. So it’s unfair to manipulate us into speaking about certain topics because even when we speak, we get attacked!”
He emphasized that fame does not come with a responsibility to advocate for social causes.
“We can’t force people into advocacy simply because their line of work has made them famous.”
A call for collective action
Using an example, Mr Macaroni highlighted a common issue in Nigeria—police brutality. He noted that when ordinary Nigerians witness police officers abusing someone, many choose to walk past, record videos, or remain silent instead of stepping in.
“Nigerians will see their fellow Nigerian being brutalized by the police. Instead of coming together to stop it at that very moment, some will pass by, some will watch, and some will record. Then the same Nigerians will come online to attack celebrities for not speaking against police brutality,” he said.
For real change to happen, Mr Macaroni believes that citizens must take the lead rather than waiting for celebrities to act on their behalf.
“When Nigerians truly want change, the people will not wait for any celebrity. The people will become their own celebrities, and they will lead and take charge!”
His statement reinforces the idea that societal change is a collective effort. While celebrities may lend their voices to causes, the responsibility for change rests on everyone, not just a select few.
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