Nigeria: Seyi Awolowo: Nigeria must move past “Akara and Kulikuli” mentality
By Zuleihat Owuiye, Nigeria
Former Big Brother Naija housemate Seyi Awolowo says Nigeria’s ambitions in education and the economy need to evolve far beyond “survival-level” businesses, arguing that the country should be focused on innovation, technology, and artificial intelligence instead.
Speaking on _Vanguard’s Nigeria Meter Podcast_, Awolowo said while trades like selling akara and kulikuli are valid livelihoods, they represent a stage Nigeria should have grown past by now.
“KuliKuli and Akara, while I was growing up, were businesses for petty traders. There should have been an upgrade,” he said.
Awolowo’s comments come at a time when global competition in AI is intensifying. The U.S. and China are pouring billions into research, startups, and infrastructure to lead the next phase of technology.
“We are entering the AI race right now, where we are seeing the way China and America are going back to back with innovation. Where is our own? Why are we thinking of Akara and KuliKuli?”
For Awolowo, the issue isn’t about disrespecting small businesses. It’s about what those businesses represent in the national mindset. He believes Nigeria’s education system and economic planning should be producing graduates and entrepreneurs who think in terms of tech, manufacturing, research, and global competition — not just getting through the day.
“Why have we not crossed an educational threshold where KuliKuli and Akara are still in the frame? Why does it seem that some people are being kept in a box where they cannot grow further than that because of what they think or see?”
Awolowo argued that a country’s educational threshold should expand what citizens believe is possible. When the system only prepares people for subsistence, he said, it limits national growth.
He suggested that decades after independence, Nigeria should have built pathways that move young people from informal trade to knowledge-driven industries — software, biotech, engineering, creative tech, and AI.
Without that shift, he warned, the country will continue to export talent while importing innovation.
The reality TV star also linked the problem to Nigeria’s political culture. According to him, elections are still fought with food items, cash, and short-term handouts instead of ideas about education and long-term development.
“So, when it is now election season, they think of how to give people this or that because they are the ones that would come to vote. It seems that stomach infrastructure is the major means of campaign,” he said.
He described this as a cycle that keeps voters focused on immediate needs, making it harder for politicians to sell policies on schools, research, and technology. The result, he said, is a political system that rewards short-term relief over long-term investment
Awolowo’s remarks have sparked discussion online, with many agreeing that Nigeria needs to rethink what progress looks like. Others defended informal businesses, saying they remain critical to jobs and food security for millions.
But Awolowo’s core point was about aspiration. He isn’t calling for an end to akara and kulikuli businesses. He’s calling for a country where a child growing up today can realistically aim to build an AI startup, run a biotech lab, or lead in renewable energy — and have the education and support to get there.
“The world is not waiting,” he implied. As other nations race ahead in AI, data, and advanced manufacturing, Nigeria risks being left behind if it doesn’t upgrade both its education system and its national ambition.
Nigeria has a young, tech-savvy population and a growing startup ecosystem, especially in fintech and creative industries. But critics like Awolowo say that’s not enough. To compete globally, the country needs massive investment in STEM education, research institutions, digital infrastructure, and policies that support innovation at scale.
Until then, the conversation will keep returning to basic survival — and to akara and kulikuli.
