Debo Adebayo, a Nigerian comedian better known as Mr Macaroni, has sparked controversy on Twitter for saying that the Nigerian government has never done anything for him.
The heated argument started on Friday when the comedian took to the microblogging platform to ask Nigerians if they had benefited anything from the government over the years.
The entertainer had also expressed his own view, explaining that since he was born, the federal government has not done anything for him.
“Honest question: Since you were born into this country, can you mention one thing that the Government has done for you? Personally, I can’t mention one. I don’t know about you,” he wrote.
His post has since elicited mixed reactions on the microblogging platform.
While some backed the comedian’s view, others listed various things they have benefited from the federal government.
Some also argued that while the government might have performed below expectations, it would be unfair to say they haven’t done anything.
“That you can even buy a sim, subscribe to a phone network, enter PlayStore to download Twitter and come online to tweet this, govt has done something for you. If them born you well, relocate to North Korea or China. Oponu, alaim’ore!” a user wrote.
“I don’t mean to sound harsh or rude But the Government literally did nothing … For those clamouring for subsidy of price .. The question from me to you is Are you Ok?? They give u crumbs and Eat the loaves of bread .. you are saying it is something… Arent u tired of suffering,” another user wrote.
Here is what some Nigerians had to say:
Bros, tink am well o.
That you can even ask this question on a platform you access cheaply is proof positive that you’ve benefitted from being Nigerian. Try suggesting this in Saudi or China and see.— Faiz Aliyu (@Omegasiyon)
I can mention a lot 若….They made sure there is nothing stopping the sunlight from touching my skin. also,They didn’t stop the rain from falling Into my empty bucket….Don’t be an ingrate
— Pro bono (@sirrays002)
Cheap university education. My tuition was around N10,000 per year between 2004-2008. This is one of the reasons I give back and will continue to do so. If you graduated from a Federal University in Nigeria you cannot say the Nigerian goverment hasn’t done anything for you.
— Dr. Dípò Awójídé (@OgbeniDipo)
My public education was highly subsidized. In fact looking back, its like I got a free education. This is one thing out of so many things subsidized. God will continue to bless Nigeria.I am grateful.
— Kunle (@Kunle11111)
You said nothing because you were thinking about good things only, I think
The govt made me pay for education when >85% of those who make up the govt paid no dime in their time. We pay for a very epileptic electricity, who should we blame. People are living on God’s grace….— MARIO (@DeBestYuNevaHad)
Many Nigerians have been trained to believe that uninterrupted power supply for a whole 24hours is a privilege. Poverty is a disease that has been weaponized here. We don’t know it’s our rights to get free social services like education, security, infrastructure.
— Qudus Okufuwa (@suduq)
I won a state sponsored competition some years ago after series of tough exams, they gave me an envelope.
I got to my mothers car, opened it and saw N1,000… money wey no fit fuel my mama car, i wan cry.— Tife (@Tife_fabunmi)
My friend applied for national ID 2015, she was called March 2020 to come pick it up but due to corona, she couldn’t go. Fast forward to yesterday, she went to pick it up only to find out the card expired 2019.
The NIN officer there said she should pay 5k to renew— #EndSarsNow #EndPoliceBrutalityNow (@bibah_annie)
You don’t have to stand defensive, just state your PERSONAL experience and let others state theirs.
— Mr. ‘Dipo (@edoyakulo)
Guy stick to comedy please. Nigeria is a very cheap country. Our taxes are even the lowest. Personally in my university days i benefitted from busary and also got 200k from Desopadec. There are lots of beneficiaries of govt programmes who are not on Twitter.
— Theresa Tekenah (@TheresaTekenah)
Not many come from oil producing areas; even in those areas more than 50% of young ppl have gotten absolutely nothing from Govt. The point is, only a microcosm of the populace will in their lifetime derive some tangibles from govt vis-a-vis what govt takes from them. Egberi faa!
— Chinedu Adikwu_esq (@ChineduAdikwu)
This past few days your tweets doesn’t make sense again. Just reason the question you ask yourself and also ask yourself what you have done for the country itself. Why are you still Staying in that country then, go abroad and see how much game you can get for yourself
— Tayo Johnson (@adetayo86)
Directly or indirectly we have all benefited from the government but might not be to our expectations bcos of what we hear about foreign countries.
Throughout my undergraduate years in OAU, my school fees and accommodation is not up to #150,000 naira.
How many of us is paying tax— QS Musodiq (@QMusodiq)
Debo I liked you better as a comedian than a Government critic. My main reason is the way you see Governance and your focus on the present Government as Nigeria’s problem. Our approach to Governance is bad but to say nothing is done is madness
— Alfred (@lotagodd)
This is not true. It’s true that government can do more
But that they’ve done nothing is false. As an example, the way of life you enjoy today is not the wish of ISWAP who government fights daily so you can live free.Your lifestyle is preserved by government.
— Auto Bot (@AutoBotNG)
Here lies our problem as a nation.We are too Entitled n it’s affects us grossly.
A wise man once said, Ask not what ur country can do for u,but what u can do for ur country.
If u owned a car within d last 3yrs or more,n u enjoyed d fuel subsidy while it lasted n power subsidy?
— Myk egbe (@myk3gbe75)
People who attended federal uni many years ago and paid school fees with money that cannot buy shawarma assume 9ja education is “cheap”.
What is “cheap” about university tuition that costs more than minimum wage in a country with NO LOANS and >80million people in total poverty?
— #OurFavOnlineDoc 喙 (@DrOlufunmilayo)
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