‘Stop speaking Yoruba in public’ Tonto Dikeh sparks outrage with xenophobic rant against Yoruba people

January 19, 2025

By Ayinde Adeleke

Nollywood actress, Tonto Dikeh, has come under fire for her inflammatory remarks targeting the Yoruba people.

In a shocking social media post, Dikeh chastised Yoruba and Ghana individuals for speaking their native language in public, urging them instead to communicate in English.

The actress has been widely condemned for her xenophobic and discriminatory post.

Dikeh, who refers to herself as the “vawulence prefect,” took to social media to express her frustration, stating, “Dear Yoruba people, Abeg when una Dey try fight (especially for this Obasanjo app) make una try Dey fight with English.”

Her rant continued, “Omo Language, language everywhere 60B how we want take know who Dey win fight @Ghana people una Dey @YABALEFTONLINE this WhatsApp group too.. MAKE UNA THE FIGHT WITH ENGLISH 008& All love from a vawulence prefect.”

Dikeh’s comments have been met with widespread outrage, with many accusing her of promoting hate speech and intolerance.

“A simple solution would be for her to hire a translator,” suggested a social media user, implying that Tonto Dikeh’s issue with the Yoruba language could be easily resolved by seeking linguistic assistance.

Critics argue that Dikeh’s statement is not only divisive but also reflects a deeper issue of xenophobia and anti-ethnic sentiment.

They point out that language is an integral part of a person’s cultural heritage and that individuals should be free to communicate in their native tongue without fear of persecution or ridicule.

As the backlash against Dikeh continues to grow, many are calling for the actress to apologize for her hurtful remarks and to take steps to promote greater understanding and respect for cultural diversity.