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Nightfall in Soweto
_ Oswald Mtshali:
Nightfall comes like
a dreaded disease
seeping through the pores
of a healthy body
and ravaging it beyond repair.
I am the victim.
I am slaughtered
every night in the streets.
I am cornered by the fear
gnawing at my timid heart;
...
Spectator retweeted
Happy Wednesday!!
They call themselves “konsavatif” but the only thing they do is promote hate
Spectator retweeted
One faceless idiot woke up today and called myself and @toyofashola “tainted blood.” I daresay that what Tóyọ̀sí has single-handedly contributed to Yorùbá culture and heritage is more than an entire generation of these trolls has done collectively.
When it is time to patronise initiatives that promote Yorùbá heritage, they are nowhere to be found. When it is time to support cultural development, fund literacy projects, or contribute to efforts advancing the Yorùbá language, they suddenly disappear.
I know more than enough people on this app doing incredible work in the Yorùbá cultural space who need support, not necessarily financial, but in visibility, patronage, collaboration, and genuine community. Yet, these self-appointed custodians are conspicuously absent. They remember their cultural regalia only when it is time to police other people's choices and call people tainted blood for refusing to conform to their bigotry.
Apparently, for some people, Yorùbá heritage is not something to preserve. It is a weapon to wield against anyone who refuses to think like them.
📌
First, your disappointment is not my cup of tea. Neither is the discomfort of you or your fellow travellers at having your bigotry called what it is. A spade remains a spade, even when the people wielding it would rather we called it cultural preservation.
As for my supposed silence on the disparagement of Yorùbá women and the appropriation of Yorùbá heritage, if you have not encountered my contributions in those areas, that is hardly my problem. People choose what they see, what they ignore, and what they remember. I am not obliged to submit an inventory of my convictions to earn the right to express another. Again, I do not do what I do for your validation.
Now, to the substance of your argument. Nobody said Yorùbá people should abandon their cultural identity. Nobody said ethnic consciousness is inherently wrong. The question is why a Yorùbá man marrying a woman from Britain or New York is apparently less threatening to some cultural custodians than that same man marrying an Igbo woman from Enugu. If your concern is genuinely cultural continuity, why does geographical distance seem more tolerable than ethnic difference within the same country? You cannot evade it by changing the subject.
And honestly, where are all these erase and replace, survival or extinction, and existential-threat talking points coming from? Why are we importing American right-wing rhetoric into a Nigerian context that does not map neatly onto theirs? We are talking about one of the largest ethnic groups in Nigeria, one of the most urbanised ethnic populations in West Africa, with a substantial diaspora. What exactly are we so terrified of losing, and to whom? At what point does cultural preservation become an excuse for manufacturing enemies?
Yes, other ethnic groups have their prejudices, their interests, and their anxieties about cultural survival. So what? If a Hausa man is hostile to an Igbo woman, criticise him. If an Igbo family rejects a Yorùbá son-in-law out of ethnic chauvinism, criticise them too. But the existence of bigotry elsewhere does not absolve anyone of the bigotry here. Other people behaving badly is not a moral defence.
Preserve the language. Teach the history. Practise the traditions. Pass on the names, the philosophy, the art. Do the work. But if the survival of Yorùbá culture depends on whom a Yorùbá man is permitted to marry, perhaps we should be asking uncomfortable questions about the strength of the culture we claim to be defending.
You invoked idealism versus realism as though understanding the realities of Nigeria requires us to surrender to them. It doesn't. Understanding why ethnic prejudice exists is not the same as legitimising it. We can acknowledge Nigeria's tribal politics without reproducing its worst instincts in our private lives.
Finally, my being a beneficiary of Yorùbá culture is precisely why I reserve the right to interrogate what is done in its name. I write Yorùbá literature, work with Yorùbá oral traditions, and dedicate my practice to expanding the possibilities of our cultural expression. I do not need to turn my cultural identity into an instrument of hostility to prove my commitment to it.
A culture that can survive only by policing love and treating its neighbours as existential threats is not demonstrating strength. It is advertising fear. And no amount of cultural rhetoric can make fear look like wisdom.
Ire o.
Spectator retweeted
Bigotry is undoubtedly one of our biggest problems in this part of the world. That one Yorùbá cultural custodian, for instance, would have no problem with a fellow Yorùbá man marrying a woman from New York or Britain. But let that same man bring home a wife from Anambra, Enugu, or even Edo, and suddenly, all hell breaks loose. Apparently, marrying across continents is more acceptable than marrying across Nigerian ethnic lines. If your culture can accommodate a foreigner but not your fellow Nigerian, perhaps the problem isn't cultural preservation. Perhaps, it's ethnic chauvinism disguised in cultural attire.
Thanks to cameras and social media, various forms of religious and ideological hate speech are now being captured and brought to public attention. These incidents must not be ignored or swept under the carpet. They should be thoroughly investigated, and where sufficient evidence exists, those responsible should be prosecuted in accordance with the law. No religion, ideology, or individual should be above the law when it comes to promoting hatred and inciting hostility.
The concern authorities should fish out this young man and deal with him ASAP.
@OfficialDSSNG
@PoliceNG
@HQNigerianArmy
It is perfectly lawful; it is his personal belief, and he has every fundamental right to express it freely. He should not be compelled to sugarcoat his convictions or tailor his words merely to make them sound pleasing or acceptable to those who do not share his beliefs.
I also do not expect those who disagree with his views to take offence or make an unnecessary fuss over them, just as some adherents of his own religion often react with outrage when Muslims express similar views or refer to them as infidels or disbelievers. Freedom of belief and expression must be upheld consistently, regardless of whose beliefs are being expressed. The same principles should apply to everyone, without double standards, selective outrage, or attempts to impose different standards of acceptability on different people.
Politics has increasingly become driven by personal ambition and self-interest, turning what should be a platform for public service into a business of personal gain. This mindset cuts across both the ruling party and the opposition, as loyalty to political affiliations often takes precedence over truth, accountability, and the overall development of society. Rather than prioritising the collective good, many place the interests of their political camps above the welfare of the people they are meant to serve.
Spectator retweeted
Nobody has ever praised me as a Nigerian Muslim for the huge oil money Saudi pays to football players o
But someone committed a crime in Saudi, was tried for 3years before being executed and all Muslims are now in the receiving end of the bashing. We don't even know what truly happened aside the "kissing" lies.
If you never applauded me for what pleased you that was done in Saudi, don't bash me for the opposite except you dey craze
As for those Muslims who throw Islam under the bus for validation, hear me; No matter what you do, you will only end up a Munafiq, but they will never accept you.
May Allah purify our hearts from Nifaq
😂🤣😁 I thought your post was supposed to clarify what you claimed had been twisted. 🤷
Anyways, to all Atiku and PBAT supporters, please remember to send money to your loved ones and, more importantly, don’t sever family ties over politicians. Nigerian politicians are unpredictable and can realign with one another whenever it suits their interests. Don’t let political differences destroy relationships that may outlast their political rivalry. 😂🤝
MY MESSAGE HAS BEEN TWISTED
Even though my media office has issued a responsible clarification on the situation, I still find it necessary to add my voice to address the distortion of my message by political opponents.
I deeply appreciate Nigerians in the diaspora who work tirelessly and make enormous sacrifices to support their families back home. Their remittances pay for school fees, hospital bills, rent, and feeding expenses. Their patriotism and sacrifices deserve our profound respect.
I never asked them to abandon their loved ones. My concern is that Nigeria should not remain a country where millions depend on relatives abroad for basic survival.
Our goal must be to build a nation that provides jobs, affordable healthcare, quality education, and economic opportunities for its citizens.
Political opponents may twist my message, but the truth remains clear: I am not asking Nigerians abroad to abandon their families. I am advocating for a Nigeria that will no longer abandon its own people.
God bless Nigerians at home and abroad. God bless Nigeria. -PO
Spectator retweeted
HISTORY MADE TODAY TUESDAY, 13TH OCTOBER 2026
Today marks a significant milestone in the history of Lagos and its traditional institution as the Lagos Traditional White Cap Chiefs officially join the Ojo Chieftaincy Committee, recognising their status as owners of Ido Oluwo Ile and Igbede Township.
The historic occasion features the participation of two distinguished Lagos traditional chiefs:
His Highness, Chief Adesoji Ajayi Bambe, the Obanikoro of Lagos, representing the ownership of Ido Oluwo Ile and His Highness, Chief Adebola Olamilekan Dosunmu, Majalu II, Olorogun Adodo of Lagos, representing the ownership of Igbede Township.
This development underscores the significance of ancestral ownership, traditional authority, and the enduring role of the Lagos Traditional White Cap Chiefs in preserving the history, heritage, customs, and traditions of Lagos.
It is a moment worthy of documentation in the annals of Lagos history, reaffirming the importance of recognising the rightful traditional stakeholders in matters concerning our ancestral communities.
Lagos is more than a city; it is a civilisation built on history, heritage, and enduring traditions. More to come.
This reminds me of a political campaign in a particular Nigerian state where the contest was not framed as Christians versus Muslims, but as Anglicans versus Catholics, simply because the state was predominantly Christian. It is a striking illustration of the danger of identity politics: it exploits socially constructed differences, magnifies divisions, and gradually erodes the very fabric of our shared humanity and human diversity.
