“There is no hope for good scientists and engineers in Nigeria unless they turn to Yahoo Yahoo” – Seun Kuti Laments

“There is no hope for good scientists and engineers in Nigeria unless they turn to Yahoo Yahoo” – Seun Kuti Laments

Afrobeat singer Seun Kuti has criticised Nigeria’s failure to create opportunities for talented young people in science, technology and other intellectual fields, saying many gifted people are left with little hope of reaching their full potential.

Kuti, speaking on the state of the nation, lamented that a young Nigerian could possess exceptional talent in areas such as robotics, nuclear physics, rocket engineering, philosophy, education or history, but could not find the support, funding or institutional backing needed to develop those abilities. According to him, the country’s system appears to place greater value on service-oriented professions and entertainment-related careers than on innovation, research, and academic excellence. He questioned what options are available to aspiring scientists, engineers, inventors, and scholars, noting that there are few programmes designed to identify, nurture, and reward talent in these critical sectors.

Kuti argued that society is often more interested in asking young people what service they can provide whether through tailoring, shoemaking, baking, cooking, music, acting, content creation, or other commercial ventures while overlooking individuals with talents that could drive technological advancement.

He warned that until meaningful structures are put in place to support these talents and create opportunities beyond entertainment, countless young Nigerians will continue to struggle to find careers that align with their abilities and ambitions.