UK-Based Nigerian Loses Viral English Skills Face-Off to British X User

A Nigerian man based in the United Kingdom, Ifedayo Johnson, has lost an online English language contest to a British user known as Angantýr (@BasedNorthmathr) following a viral immigration debate on social media platform X.

Johnson, who hails from Oyo State, scored 79 points in the EFSET English skills test, narrowly trailing behind Angantýr, who scored 83. The contest, held in separate X Spaces on Sunday, drew a live audience of over 5,000 users.

The linguistic face-off stemmed from a controversial post by Angantýr, who criticised the UK’s reliance on Nigerian workers in the care sector, claiming many "barely speak English." In response, Johnson, tweeting from the handle @Ifedayo_Jimcruz, challenged him to a comprehensive English language proficiency test covering writing, reading, listening, and speaking.

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“I’m openly challenging you... If your score is higher, I’ll quietly leave the UK within 24 hours,” Johnson tweeted, vowing to defend the reputation of Nigerians’ command of English.

However, only two of the four test components were eventually taken, a decision Johnson later addressed, saying they were Angantýr’s areas of strength. Despite the loss, Johnson stood by his defense of Nigerians’ English abilities. “Let me repeat, Nigerians speak English — and they do so very well,” he asserted.

Reactions online were mixed, with some praising Johnson’s bold stance and others mocking the result. Meanwhile, Angantýr quickly declared victory on his page, posting: “Honour defended. England conquered.”

The feud traces back to an earlier post by UK doctor Rachel Clarke (@doctor_oxford), who highlighted the value of migrant care workers amid political debates on immigration, prompting responses that snowballed into the high-stakes language duel.

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