The most convenient way to dismiss Nigerian excellence is to credit it to population; the most convenient way to condemn Nigerians is to make that same population disappear.
Apparently, Nigeria is only allowed to have numbers, not exceptional talent.
Whenever Nigerian artists dominate streaming charts, Nigerian films pull massive viewership, or Nigerians excel in other creative industries, the immediate explanation from some non-Nigerian Africans is population. It's almost as though the individual talent, creativity, hard work and competitiveness of millions of Nigerians are irrelevant.
But let's entertain that argument for a moment.
Nigeria is Africa's most populous country, but do these same people ever ask why Ethiopia, Africa's second most populous country, isn't automatically occupying the second position in these same metrics? Ethiopia has an estimated 139 million people compared to Nigeria's 242 million. Surely, if population alone explains everything, the numbers should tell a more predictable story.
The contradiction becomes even more glaring when the conversation shifts to crime. Suddenly, population is no longer a consideration. One Nigerian commits a crime, and somehow an entire country of over 240 million people becomes a convenient stereotype.
When Nigerians succeed, it's population. When Nigerians fail or commit crimes, it's suddenly a reflection of Nigerian character.
And perhaps the most amusing part is how some people suddenly discover Pan-Africanism when Nigerian achievements become too significant to dismiss. Suddenly, it's an African victory, an African achievement and a win for the continent.
But when the same Nigerians are being stereotyped, ridiculed or collectively blamed, that Pan-African solidarity becomes remarkably difficult to find.
You cannot selectively acknowledge Nigerian identity when it is convenient to discredit Nigerians, erase it when acknowledging their individual excellence, and then rediscover their Africanness when you want to appropriate their achievements as a continental victory.
Give Nigerians their flowers without attaching an excuse to them.
The first Nigerian gold medallist watching the second Nigeria gold medallist 👀🇳🇬
Women's 100m champion Rosemary Nwankwo cheers on Gift Bright as he races to gold in the men's event! 🥇🥇
#Olympics#YouthOlympics#Dakar2026
Nigeria is the first African country to win the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup (2026), FIFA U-17 Men's World Cup (1985) and Olympic Gold medal in Football (1996).
@Nig_Farmer Even south Korea imports food and fruits because they have more mountains than arable land yet they are the 15th largest economy in the whole world.
When I got laid off from Microsoft, I got into a company in Lagos that felt paying 600k naira a month was doing me a favour. I had to take the offer to keep body and soul together.
Was there for 6 months until I fell out with the MD and started looking out. That was when I started my training outfit but couldn't quite get traction.
Anyway, after leaving this NGO, I spent another 5 months in the wilderness, literally. Ate rejections almost every other day. Was living on the goodwill of friends and relations. Basically wondering what to get out of life.
An Antler rep came knocking at the time and was in the process of fast tracking my application to the Antler cohort at Kenya. Guess what? My passport had expired. Ran to go fast track my passport, after a few days emailed the partner but was told it was too late.
I remember laying in my room laughing hysterically, mulling to myself, "who I offend?"
Thankfully at that time, I applied to Andela and the process started for another 2 months. I got into Andela and my monthly salary was my previous annual salary. This trend continued in a subsequent company. Use am run one or two that year.
But the point is, while I was enjoying this new reality, I asked myself, "why did you worry all those times?" In hindsight, there was no reason to. I should have just chilled for 5 months, enjoyed myself.
But we are human and can only understand life in hindsight. As long as you believe this it will work out for you: EVERYTHING will turn out better than you expected, just stop worrying.