A Nigerian living in the United Kingdom, Ifedayo Johnson, has lost a viral English skills showdown to a British user, Angantýr, on social media.
The competition was sparked by a heated immigration debate, where Angantýr claimed that the UK care sector had become “critically dependent on Nigerians who barely speak English.”
Johnson, who hails from Oyo State, challenged Angantýr to a full English language proficiency test, including writing, listening, reading, and speaking. The stakes were high, with Johnson offering to leave the UK within 24 hours if he lost, and Angantýr agreeing to keep quiet about Nigerians’ English skills if he lost.
The competition took place in separate X Spaces, with over 5,000 netizens following live. Johnson scored 79, while Angantýr scored 83, winning by just four marks. Angantýr took to his X account to announce the results, declaring that he had “made England proud” in the linguistic showdown.
Mixed reactions followed the results, with some praising Johnson’s skills and others criticizing his loss. Johnson responded to the results, asserting that Nigerians speak English very well and that the stereotype that they don’t has long been disproven.
The viral English test has sparked a conversation about language skills and stereotypes. While Johnson lost the challenge, he remains confident in his abilities and those of other Nigerians.