Nigerian actor and former Big Brother Naija housemate Seyi Awolowo has weighed in on the growing “Olodo Uprising” debate, attributing the trend to deeper societal problems, including corruption, poor leadership and Nigeria’s reluctance to reform its education system.
Speaking on Conversations With Kenni, a podcast hosted by Kehinde Ajose, Awolowo said the controversy goes beyond social media trends and reflects years of failure to adapt to changing approaches to learning and intellectual development.
“It’s a multifaceted situation because it’s also as a result of corruption and bad leadership with policy building and not wanting to evolve our educational system, and still trying to stick with the old ways,” Seyi said.
According to him, educational methods and ideologies have continued to change globally, but Nigeria has largely remained attached to outdated approaches. He argued that the failure to recognise different learning styles, particularly the growing preference for visual learning, has contributed to the disconnect.
“Over time, paradigms shift, ideologies shift, and modes of education were being developed, but we were still being dogged in our ways. People became visual learners. Different strokes for different folks but we however chose not to evolve.”
Awolowo also examined the influence of social media on the perception of success, particularly how wealth and online popularity can sometimes be used to mask a lack of intellectual depth.
“We got to the current stage when social media has come to play and people are using materialism to defend intellectual bankruptcy.”
He acknowledged that the association between wealth and limited formal education is not a new phenomenon. However, he expressed concern about what he sees as a growing cultural message that portraying oneself as unintelligent or uninformed can lead to fame and financial success.
“We don’t need to celebrate stupidity and allow it translate into wealth, whereas there are people who are studying themselves off.”
The actor further questioned the heavy reliance on English as the primary language of instruction and communication in Nigeria’s education system. Responding to a question about whether English is the most effective way to communicate ideas, he argued that native languages should play a greater role in learning.
“No it’s not. The Chinese speak Chinese. The Japanese speak Japanese. So clearly, they think in their local languages.”
Awolowo recalled his own experience with the treatment of indigenous languages in school, noting that speaking Yoruba was often discouraged and referred to as “vernacular.” He suggested that such attitudes could negatively affect how students understand and express themselves.
“My mother’s tongue was ‘vernacular.’ These things affect people because English is not for everyone… If they were speaking their own languages, it’d have been easier.”
The actor’s comments come amid a wider conversation about the place of intelligence, education and popularity in contemporary Nigerian society. The “Olodo Uprising” debate gained traction after rapper Ycee raised concerns about what he described as a cultural shift in which ignorance and viral entertainment appear to receive more attention than intellectual achievement.
As the debate continues to attract reactions from entertainers, educators, content creators and other public figures, Awolowo’s intervention broadens the discussion by connecting the trend to systemic issues within education, leadership and society. The actor, who is the grandson of the late nationalist and statesman Chief Obafemi Awolowo, has also previously advocated placing greater value on brilliance and substance rather than popularity alone.