“The Olodo Uprising: Are WE rewarding Ignorance or Authenticity?”

<img alt="" src="/media/inline_insight_image/358465.png" style="background-color: transparent;"/>THE OLODO UPRISING: ARE WE REWARDING IGNORANCE OR AUTHENTICITY? Nigeria does not lack intelligent people. What we may be lacking is the willingness to give intelligence the attention it deserves.That is the uncomfortable question behind The Olodo Uprising: Are WE rewarding ignorance or authenticity?I was scrolling through TikTok recently when I came across an educational video—something genuinely useful, something capable of correcting ignorance. Yet after almost a month, it had gathered only about 143 likes.A few scrolls later, I saw someone doing something ridiculous. Millions of views. Hundreds of thousands of likes and shares.Then I saw a beautiful hand-drawn artwork. Original, creative and clearly made with effort. After almost two weeks? About 54 likes.I stopped scrolling.What exactly are we rewarding?This is not an attack on entertainment. Nigerians love comedy, music, dance and creativity, and there is nothing wrong with that. The problem begins when attention becomes more valuable than substance.By olodo, I do not mean someone without a university degree or someone who struggles academically. I mean the person who has access to knowledge but refuses to learn—and sometimes proudly spreads what they do not understand.And this problem goes beyond TikTok.It is the WhatsApp message we forward without verification.It is the political claim we believe because it supports our preferred party.It is the false story that travels faster than the correction.It is the person who says, “I don't know,” but refuses to find out.UNESCO has highlighted misinformation and weak fact-checking practices as serious challenges in Nigeria. Its research found that many digital content creators do not rigorously verify information before sharing it.This is where Paulo Freire's idea of critical consciousness becomes important. Education, in his view, should not merely fill people's minds with information; it should teach them to question and understand the world around them.And Martha Nussbaum similarly emphasises the importance of critical thinking in creating responsible citizens.Nigeria does not simply need more information.We need better judgment.Because a smartphone does not make someone informed. Having data does not mean having wisdom.The algorithm is not entirely responsible either.Algorithms respond to what we watch, like, share and comment on.We are teaching the algorithm what to feed us.If we give millions of views to empty sensationalism and barely notice useful knowledge, then we cannot complain when nonsense dominates our timelines.Every like is a vote.Every repost is a recommendation.Every follow is a signal.So, are we rewarding ignorance or authenticity?Perhaps the answer depends on us.If we reward originality, knowledge, creativity and genuine expression, they will grow.But if we continue rewarding ignorance because it entertains us, we should not be surprised when ignorance becomes fashionable.The real danger is not that the olodos are rising.It is that we may be building the staircase.And perhaps the most important question is not “What is trending?”But“What deserves to trend?”Because the future of Nigeria will not only be shaped by what we know.It will also be shaped by what we choose to give our attention to.

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