Nigerian comedian and actor Adebowale Adedayo, popularly known as Mr Macaroni, has said threats against his family forced him to reduce his public criticism of the government.
Speaking during a Wazobia FM interview, the entertainer said the situation became personal when his mother began calling him in distress over what she described as suspicious movements around the family home.
Mr Macaroni said his family wanted him to leave Nigeria for his safety, but he refused.
Why Mr Macaroni Stepped Back
According to Mr Macaroni, the decision was not because he had stopped caring about political issues. Instead, he said the safety of his family became a major consideration.
“I stopped talking about the government because I was receiving so many threats, and my family wasn’t safe,” he said.
He also described his mother’s reaction, saying she would call him crying about strange movements around the house. He said people wanted to fly him out of Nigeria, but he chose to remain in the country.
The comments provide a different explanation for his reduced political presence. Rather than presenting his silence as a change in his views, he linked it to the personal consequences he said came with speaking publicly.
This Is Not His First Claim of Threats
Mr Macaroni has previously spoken about threats connected to his political activities.
In 2022, he said people had threatened him and his family because he refused to support a particular presidential candidate. He also said he faced online attacks and political pressure during the 2023 election period. Those claims were reported at the time, although the identities and motives of the alleged individuals were not independently established.
His activism became particularly prominent during the #EndSARS protests in 2020. His own biography describes civic advocacy and social justice as an important part of his public work.
The Bigger Question for Public Debate
Mr Macaroni’s latest comments raise a broader issue about how political criticism affects public figures when pressure extends beyond them to their relatives.
For celebrities with large audiences, speaking about government policies can bring attention, support and criticism. His account suggests that threats involving family members can create a much more difficult calculation.
For now, he has not said that he has permanently abandoned political commentary. His latest explanation instead suggests that personal safety has become a major factor in deciding how publicly he engages with government issues.
