Veteran Nigerian comedian Atunyota Alleluya Akpobome, popularly known as Alibaba, has reacted to the shocking death of American conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was shot and killed during a Turning Point USA (TPUSA) event at Utah Valley University on Wednesday.
While condemning the attack as tragic and senseless, Alibaba admitted feeling relieved when he learned the suspect wasn’t from a marginalized or minority group.
“It’s a sad thing that Charlie had to be killed, and I’m totally against the shooting and killing of anyone,” Alibaba said. “That said, when I heard about the shooting… you don’t know the relief I had that it wasn’t a Black guy, not Arab, not Muslim. It would have been bad.
U.S. authorities identified the alleged shooter as 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, a Utah native and former scholarship student at Utah State University. In recent years, Robinson had become more politically outspoken and had criticized Kirk for “spreading hate.”
Though raised in a conservative, pro-gun household, Robinson reportedly distanced himself from his family’s political beliefs. Records show he is currently registered as a nonpartisan, inactive voter.
The incident has sparked renewed debate in the U.S. over political extremism, gun culture, and national identity.
Alibaba’s reaction mirrors concerns expressed by Utah Governor Spencer Cox, who, during a press briefing, revealed he had hoped the attacker wouldn’t be from the local community.
“For 33 hours, I was praying that if this had to happen here that it wouldn’t be one of us… Sadly, that prayer was not answered the way I hoped,” Cox said.
Alibaba stressed that his relief came from an understanding of how acts of violence by members of already-stigmatized communities often result in global backlash and reinforce harmful stereotypes.
“If the shooter had been Black, Arab, or Muslim, the fallout would’ve been devastating not just for individuals, but for entire communities,” he implied.
This tragedy highlights how violent incidents often carry implications far beyond their immediate context, shaping narratives around race, religion, and identity worldwide.
