The Olodo uprising - by Tari Elise

The Olodo Uprising: Are We Rewarding Ignorance or Authenticity? These days if you go on social media you will keep seeing one word everywhere: "Olodo". People are printing it on shirts, using it as captions, even calling themselves "Chief Olodo".At first it started as an insult. "Olodo" meaning "dull person." But now it is being worn like a badge of honor.It has turned into a movement. They are calling it the "Olodo Uprising". So the question is simple: Are we celebrating people being real, or are we just clapping for ignorance? For me, the Olodo Uprising is first about authenticity. For a long time in Nigeria, there was only one way to be respected. You must speak big English. You must go to the university. You must have a certificate. If you do not fall under any of these categories, people called you "local" or "uneducated". But now young people are saying "no". The guy who sells phone accessories and makes 500k a month is also smart. The tailor who never went past SS2 but employs 5 people is also intelligent. The content creator who speaks pure pidgin is also influencing millions. The Olodo Uprising is them saying: "I may not have grammar, but I have sense. I may not have a degree, but I have skill." That is authenticity. It is people refusing to be ashamed of where they are coming from. But there is another side to it of course. And that is where the problem starts. Some people have now twisted "Olodo" to mean "I don’t need to learn anything". They use it to cover laziness. "I’m just an Olodo, I can’t read that book." "Why should I go to school? School is scam." When we start laughing at people who read and research, and we start following people who spread wrong information just because "they are real", then we are no longer being authentic. We are rewarding ignorance. Authenticity is saying "I didn’t go to school, but I’m learning a trade and I’m proud." Ignorance is saying "School is useless, so don’t learn anything at all." The difference is very thin. The Olodo Uprising itself is not bad. It is good that we are finally celebrating different kinds of intelligence. Not everyone will be a professor. Nigeria also needs mechanics, farmers, designers, and business people too. But we must be careful. We should not use "being authentic" as an excuse to stop growing. We can be Olodo and still read. We can be local and still be wise. If not, then we are not having an uprising. We are just going backwards.

Other insights from Tari Elise

Referral Earning

Points-to-Coupons