Mary Njoku, the Nollywood actress and filmmaker, has reacted to rapper Ycee's controversial “olodo uprising” remark.
Speaking on the Afropolitan podcast recently, the rapper
lamented what he described as an “olodo uprising,” citing “Peller culture” as a
growing trend that rewards outrageous online content over academic achievement.
Peller, however, fired back at the rapper, describing him as
an “illiterate”. He argued that the same people he described as “olodo” are
helping to promote songs and boost the music industry.
In a post via Instagram, Njoku argued that describing the
trend as an “olodo uprising” misses the real issue, insisting it stems from the
country’s failure to reward education and academic excellence.
She said many highly educated Nigerians spend years earning
degrees only to face unemployment, leaving many to prioritise survival by
pursuing opportunities with less intellectual content.
The actress said people are simply adjusting to the
realities around them, adding that the system, not individuals, should be held
responsible for making education seem unrewarding.
“Stop calling it an ‘Olodo uprising’. What’s happening isn’t
a celebration of ignorance. It’s the consequence of a country that has steadily
devalued education, excellence, and intellectual achievement,” she wrote.
“You cannot expect people to spend years studying, graduate
with first- class degrees, master’s degrees, even PhDs, and then struggle to
find meaningful opportunities or earn a decent living.
“When survival becomes the priority, people will naturally
go where the opportunities are. Don’t blame the people for adapting. Blame the
system for making education feel like a bad investment.”
The filmmaker further added that the country risks
undermining its future by failing to reward education, innovation and
professional excellence.
Njoku argued that while other countries are advancing in
artificial intelligence, robotics, and scientific research, Nigeria is placing
greater value on hype than on knowledge, leaving many young people questioning
whether education is worth the sacrifice.
“This is the slow death of intellectualism. A nation that
stops rewarding its teachers, doctors, engineers, scientists, researchers, and
innovators is quietly signing its own death warrant,” age added.
“No country has ever built lasting prosperity by making
knowledge less valuable than hype. While the rest of the world is competing in
artificial intelligence, robotics, biotechnology, and advanced research, we’re
busy creating an environment where many young people are beginning to question
whether education is even worth the sacrifice. That should terrify us.
“The real crisis isn’t that some people are choosing
different paths. The real crisis is that we’re producing a generation that no
longer believes excellence pays. A society that makes intelligence optional and
mediocrity profitable isn’t witnessing an ‘Olodo uprising’. It’s witnessing the
slow death of its future.”
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