Popular Nigerian comedian and actor, Ayo Makun, has finally addressed the backlash that has trailed his criticism of the Nigerian government, over the accident involving British-Nigerian boxer, Anthony Joshua.

Recall that news broke out that Anthony Joshua, on Monday, was involved in a road accident along the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway. The accident led to the death of two of the boxer's associates, leaving Anthony Joshua and the driver with injuries.

Ayo Makun, while reacting to the tragic incident, surmised that the accident is a painful reminder of how lives are cheaply treated in Nigeria. He expressed surprise at how Anthony Joshua, who has consistently put his roots in every situation, lost two of his close associates during their visit to Nigeria. He also bemoaned how the accident occurred due to the failure of our road safety systems, failure of infrastructure, and failure of leadership, questioning how many people must die before the roads are attended to adequately.

Following the criticism that trailed his criticism of the government, Ayo Makun, via his Instagram page, issued a clarification statement, stating that his post was not about putting the blame on one party for being responsible for the incident.

He explained that his voicing out was simply a “wake-up call,” stressing that accidents occur a lot in Nigeria, and leads to loss of lives most of the time due to the country's poor system. He emphasized that two truths can co-exist, and his calling out of the government is not mainly because of the accident alone, but the response to the accidents, which has most times led to funerals.

He wrote:

“Let me clarify, with respect.

Yes, reckless driving costs lives. Personal responsibility on the road is crucial and must always be acknowledged.

But my post last night was never about excusing recklessness or blaming one party for one incident.

It is a wake-up call.

In Nigeria, accidents happen too often, and when they do, lives are lost because our systems are weak. Poor road conditions. Inadequate lighting and signage. Weak enforcement. Slow or nonexistent emergency response. These factors do not cause accidents, but they turn mistakes into funerals.

Two things can be true at the same time.

People can make wrong decisions.

And a country can still fail its people.

This conversation is bigger than one tragedy. It is about the countless Nigerians who lose their lives quietly on these same roads every year. People whose names never trend, whose families grieve in silence.

If we only argue about blame and never demand better systems, the cycle will continue.

This is not an attack.

This is not politics.

This is not noise.

It is a plea for accountability, safety, and respect for human life.

May we never become so used to loss that we stop asking how to prevent the next one.

Thank you.”