𝐓𝐡𝐞 '𝐎𝐥𝐨𝐝𝐨 𝐔𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠': 𝐀 𝐌𝐢𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚'𝐬 𝐂𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐕𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐬

By Prince Tunji Ogabi  Every generation has a debate that exposes the soul of a nation. For Nigeria in 2026, that debate has arrived under a...

By Prince Tunji Ogabi 

Every generation has a debate that exposes the soul of a nation.

For Nigeria in 2026, that debate has arrived under an unusual name, the "Olodo Uprising."

At first glance, it appears to be another social media quarrel: educated elites versus entertainers, graduates versus influencers, certificates versus street wisdom. Like many online controversies, it has generated more heat than light, with insults replacing arguments and emotions overshadowing reason.

Yet beneath the memes and mockery lies a question every serious society must answer:

What exactly do we value?

Do we celebrate knowledge?

Do we reward competence?

Do we honour creativity?

Or have we become a society where popularity is mistaken for wisdom and wealth alone has become the ultimate measure of success?

The answers are uncomfortable.

The Good the Debate Has Revealed

Ironically, the controversy has done Nigeria a favour.

It has forced us to confront an uncomfortable reality: education does not automatically make one intelligent, just as the absence of formal education does not make one foolish.

History is full of examples.

Many of the world's greatest entrepreneurs never completed university. Some of humanity's greatest inventors were largely self-taught.

Nigeria itself has produced remarkable business leaders, artisans, entertainers, and innovators whose achievements cannot be measured by certificates alone.

Education should never become a tool for arrogance. Neither should academic qualifications become an excuse to look down on those whose talents lie elsewhere. Every society needs scholars.

Every society also needs craftsmen, artists, technicians, entrepreneurs, farmers, entertainers, engineers, software developers, and skilled workers.

Civilisation advances when every honest contribution is respected. But There Is a Dangerous Trend. While education should not be worshipped, ignorance should never be celebrated. That is where the danger lies.

Somewhere along the line, our society began confusing confidence with competence. Noise with influence, Virality with value, Fame with substance.

Today, many young Nigerians can identify dozens of influencers but struggle to name our greatest scientists, authors, innovators, or even understand the institutions that shape their future.

This is not entirely their fault. Children naturally admire what society celebrates. When headlines consistently reward controversy over character, extravagance over excellence, and instant fame over lifelong learning, society gradually teaches the wrong lessons.

Education Is Not the Enemy

The debate has unfortunately created a false choice. Some argue that school is unnecessary because successful entertainers and digital creators are making millions.

Others insist that only graduates deserve respect. Both positions are flawed.

Formal education remains one of humanity's greatest inventions. It teaches analytical thinking, discipline, research, collaboration, and structured problem-solving.

But education does not end at graduation. Likewise, success without continuous learning eventually reaches its limits.

The digital economy itself rewards those who constantly adapt, study trends, acquire new skills, and reinvent themselves. The most successful creators are not accidental successes. Behind every viral moment is often planning, research, branding, marketing, and relentless consistency. Learning never stops.

Intelligence Has Many Faces

One of the greatest mistakes society makes is reducing intelligence to examination scores.

There are various forms of intelligence. There is:  academic intelligence emotional intelligence, financial intelligence, creative intelligence, social intelligence, technical intelligence, to mention a few.

The mechanic who diagnoses a complex engine fault possesses intelligence. The software developer writing secure code possesses intelligence. The tailor creating world-class designs possesses intelligence. The farmer increasing crop yields through innovation possesses intelligence. The musician composing timeless songs possesses intelligence.

Different gifts, Equal dignity.

The Cost of Celebrating Mediocrity

No nation becomes globally competitive by lowering its standards.

The countries Nigeria admires today did not build world-class universities by accident. They did not become technological leaders by celebrating anti-intellectualism. They invested heavily in knowledge, respected expertise and rewarded innovation.

They created environments where excellence, not merely popularity, became aspirational. When mediocrity becomes fashionable, institutions weaken. When expertise is mocked, policymaking suffers. When informed opinions are dismissed simply because they are intellectual, public discourse deteriorates.

Eventually, everyone pays the price.

The Responsibility of Those Who Know

The educated also deserve criticism. 

Too often, intellectuals communicate with contempt instead of compassion. Knowledge should enlighten, not humiliate. Correcting someone should never become an opportunity to ridicule them.

An educated society is built through patient teaching, mentorship, and example; not insults. Calling people "olodo" may attract applause online, but it rarely changes minds.

Respect opens doors that mockery never can.

The Way Forward Perhaps the lesson from this debate is that Nigeria does not need an "Olodo Uprising."

Nigeria needs an Excellence Uprising.

One where reading is fashionable, where innovation is celebrated, where vocational skills are respected, where teachers are valued, where artisans earn dignity, where entertainers inspire positively, where entrepreneurs solve problems where politicians are elected for competence, where public office rewards merit, where influence is matched by responsibility.

Above all, where every child grows up believing that learning, in whatever form it takes, is one of life's greatest investments.

Our Real Battle

The true divide in Nigeria has never been between graduates and non-graduates. It has never been between entertainers and intellectuals. It has never been between social media influencers and academics. The real divide is between those committed to excellence and those comfortable with mediocrity.

That battle cuts across every profession, every social class, every political party, every institution, and every generation.

The "Olodo Uprising" will eventually disappear from our timelines. Like every trending hashtag, it will be replaced by another. However, the larger question will remain: “What kind of society are we building?”

A society that rewards learning without arrogance,  that celebrates talent without glorifying ignorance. A society where success is admired, but character and competence are even more highly prized.

If this debate leads us to that destination, then perhaps the "Olodo Uprising" would have served a purpose far greater than anyone imagined.

God bless Nigeria!

Prince Tunji Ogabi

Public Affairs Commentator & APC Stalwart, Lagos State