Redirecting the Genius of Nigerian Youths

 



A lot of times, we see images like this, circulating on social media. It depict African children labelled as 'Upcoming Yahoo Boys' and white children as 'Upcoming Clients'. It troubles me to imagine how lowly some of us think of ourselves, it is deeply troubling.


But, beyond the discomfort they evoke, these kinds of captions reflect a dangerous normalization of stereotypes that undermine the dignity, intelligence, and future of African youths, particularly Nigerians. What makes this more painful is that these narratives are often amplified by our very own people.


Nigeria as a nation, has never been short of history, intellect, or civilization. Our cultures span hundreds, even thousands of years, rooted in systems of governance, philosophy, medicine, trade, and art long before colonial contact. And even today, in the modern world, we still continue to excel globally; producing scholars, engineers, doctors, innovators, artists, entrepreneurs, and scientists of remarkable impacts and achievements. Verify the works of Dr. Wendy A. Okolo, Dr. Deji Akinwade, Oluchi Enebeli, Stella Okoli, Prof Mayowa Owolabi, Dr. Ameyo Stella Adadevoh who led the fight against Ebola in Nigeria and saved countless lives. More recently, Dr Ismaila Francis Yusuf(PhD) whose work in cellular quality-control pathway is nothing short of outstanding. This is just a random list, and we have a lot of the big guys on the top of the pyramid. 


Our intellectual capacity and adaptability are undeniable. But, it would be dishonest to ignore an uncomfortable reality, a growing number of youths are drifting away from this legacy of excellence. In many communities today, especially rural and semi-urban areas, the rise of internet fraud has distorted value systems. Social media platforms have become informal classrooms where fraudulent lifestyles are glamorized, wealth without work is celebrated, and criminal success is portrayed as intelligence. As a result, schoolchildren are casually 'predicted' to become scammers, while their counterparts abroad are reduced to future victims. THIS MINDSET IS CORROSIVE.


I believe the real tragedy is not a lack of ability, but a misdirection of brilliance. The same skills used in cybercrime coding, social engineering, digital marketing, persuasion, creativity are highly valuable in legitimate fields such as cybersecurity, software development, sales, data analysis, and entrepreneurship. Our elders warn that 'when guided wrongly, genius becomes destructive', so I say; 'when guided rightly, genius becomes transformative'.


As a people, we need a re-education of values, and it  must begin at home and in schools. Parents, teachers, religious institutions, and community leaders must stop excusing or romanticizing fraudulent wealth and instead emphasize integrity, patience, and long-term success. Children learn not only from instruction but from what society applauds.


Governments and private sectors should invest in vocational training, tech hubs, scholarships, and skill-acquisition programs, especially in rural areas. When young people see realistic paths to success, crime will definitely lose its appeal.


Social media should highlight Nigerians who have built wealth and influence ethically through innovation, education, and enterprise, not just those who flaunt sudden riches without accountability.


Youths must be taught how to use the internet responsibly, creatively, and productively. This can turn a threat into a powerful tool for national development.


Our story is not one of fraud, it is one of resilience, brilliance, and potential. Our children are not 'upcoming criminals'; they are upcoming leaders, thinkers, and builders. The choice before us is clear: continue reinforcing harmful stereotypes, or consciously redirect our collective genius toward greatness. The future depends on what we choose today.


®Ahmed Salim Jn ✍️ 

#Uloko

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