Parents have been warned against mocking children who struggle academically or comparing them with their peers, with Nigeria’s Ambassador-Designate to Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala and Nicaragua, Reno Omokri, saying the world has changed.
Omokri gave the advice while weighing in on the growing controversy over content creator Habeeb Hamzat, popularly known as Peller, whose academic ability has become a subject of public debate.
In a lengthy commentary titled “Peller and the Olodo Uprising: An Unpopular Opinion,” Omokri argued that poor academic performance should not automatically be treated as a sign that a child cannot succeed in life.
He urged parents to encourage children to improve their minds and pursue education, but warned against constantly comparing them with other children.
“This so called Olodo Uprising is a challenge and as a parent, encourage your child to study and improve their minds,” Omokri wrote.
He added: “So don’t pressure your children or mock your wards because they aren’t getting the best grades. Don’t ‘see your mate’ them! The world has changed.”
According to the former presidential aide, the rise of artificial intelligence and the digital economy means that success is no longer restricted to conventional academic and professional paths.
He used Peller’s growing popularity as an example, arguing that qualities often dismissed as silliness — including humour, spontaneity and the ability to connect with people — can have enormous commercial value.
“Let me shock you with a statement of fact: Artificial intelligence will replace doctors before it can replace someone like Peller,” he wrote.
Omokri said AI may increasingly take over tasks performed by highly trained professionals, but argued that machines would struggle to reproduce the natural human qualities that make entertainers and content creators connect with audiences.
“Because it takes a human to be goofy and act slapstick. I do not see AI ever doing stand-up comedy, like any of our comedians, or improv kookiness, like Peller,” he said.
He pointed to the increasing use of automation, including electronic airport gates and driverless vehicles, as evidence of how rapidly technology is changing the workplace.
Omokri said he and the Kaduna State Governor were able to pass through Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport after arriving from London with minimal interaction with airport personnel because of automated systems.
“In Nigeria today, the Governor of Kaduna and I landed at Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport from London and didn’t have to deal with a human being until we left the airport. AI has automated everything. E-gates scan your passport, and off you go!” he wrote.
He also pointed to driverless cars in California, suggesting that autonomous vehicles could eventually disrupt jobs in the taxi and ride-hailing industries.
But Omokri said there was still an important area where humans would remain difficult to replace — their ability to have fun, connect emotionally and behave spontaneously.
“We do not yet know how far AI will go. But we do know it can never replace human fun and spontaneity. And that is what we have to ensure that our children retain,” he said.
For him, Peller’s ability to entertain, build relationships and connect with people is precisely what gives the young creator an advantage.
“Let them have fun and be fun to be around. That will make them AI-proof,” Omokri added.
He described Peller in blunt terms as an “Olodo boy” but said the label should not obscure the young creator’s ability to turn his personality into commercial success.
“That Olodo boy called Peller is a money spinner, connecting with people and building bridges globally, because he has what AI cannot replicate in a thousand years. He has warmth, innocence, purity and the ability not to take himself seriously,” Omokri wrote.
His comments come amid the ongoing “Olodo Uprising” debate over the place of academic excellence in determining a young person’s future.
Omokri’s position is that while parents should still take education seriously, they should also recognise other qualities that can help their children thrive in a rapidly changing world.
He ultimately urged parents to place their children’s happiness and wellbeing alongside academic achievement.
“As long as you have a healthy, happy child, you and they can add everything else to their life later,” he said.
