Nigerian Professor Uju Anya Sparks Global Outcry After Elon Musk Slams Controversial Tweet

Carnegie Mellon University, located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, US, is currently conducting a thorough review of recent social media posts made by Nigerian-born academic Dr. Uju Anya. The university has described these posts as “hostile and threatening” and has expressed deep concern following significant online backlash.

Dr. Anya, an associate professor of second language acquisition in Carnegie Mellon’s Department of Languages, Cultures and Applied Linguistics, is presently on voluntary professional leave from the university and is not teaching courses on campus during the current academic year. This information was shared in a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter) by Carnegie Mellon, which clarified that her absence is voluntary and not a disciplinary suspension or dismissal at this stage.

The university further distanced itself from Dr. Anya’s social media activity, stating, “These posts incorrectly imply our university’s endorsement and are contrary to our community standards and values as well as our commitment to fostering a safe, respectful and welcoming campus community.” The ongoing review aims to address these concerns closely.

The latest wave of controversy intensified after an X user, Wuhan Fourth Turning Swan (@TheWuhanClan), shared screenshots and details of an exchange involving Dr. Anya. Among the posts under scrutiny is a widely circulated screenshot in which Anya allegedly wrote, “Die first, white man, then ask yourself why I’m dancing.” The user who shared this called for disciplinary action from Carnegie Mellon. The controversy also garnered significant attention when Elon Musk reacted on X, posting, “This is a real professor at Carnegie Mellon University …” while quoting a Grok discussion about Anya.

Following the intense backlash, Dr. Anya’s X account became inaccessible, leading to reports that she had deactivated it. Carnegie Mellon has not publicly identified all the specific posts included in its current review, nor has it confirmed whether the screenshot containing the words “Die first, white man…” is officially among those being examined. Additionally, the university has not attributed Musk’s intervention as the cause for Anya’s leave.

This is not the first instance where Dr. Anya’s social media activity has drawn widespread criticism and prompted a response from Carnegie Mellon University. In September 2022, she faced international condemnation for remarks made about the late Queen Elizabeth II shortly before her death. At that time, she posted, “I heard the chief monarch of a thieving raping genocidal empire is finally dying. May her pain be excruciating.” This particular post was later removed for violating Twitter’s rules. After the Queen's death, Anya expressed disdain for the monarch, linking her position to the British government’s role in the Nigerian Civil War.

More recently, in 2024, Dr. Anya also attracted attention after posting “It was staged” following an assassination attempt on Donald Trump. In response to such past incidents, Carnegie Mellon had previously stated that faculty comments on personal social media accounts do not represent the institution’s official views.

As of the latest reports, Dr. Anya has not publicly responded to Carnegie Mellon’s statements regarding the ongoing review. The university has not specified what further action, if any, could follow the conclusion of its investigation.