By Dr. Akin Olaniyan
In a recent viral video making rounds on TikTok and YouTube, 19-year-old influencer Habeeb Hamzat, popularly known as Peller, appears to interview a group of Nigerian university graduates—some reportedly holding Master’s and PhD degrees, for the position of videographer on his content creation team. What seemed like another piece of comedy content quickly ignited a wave of reactions across the country, revealing deep tensions at the intersection of education, employment, and digital influence.
The video, which has now been viewed millions of times, shows Peller, who has no formal tertiary education, playing the role of an employer, while his visibly overqualified applicants pitch themselves for a job in Nigeria’s burgeoning digital economy. Though likely staged for content, the video struck a nerve. For many, it symbolises a broader societal shift: a reversal of traditional hierarchies where formal education once guaranteed employment, stability, and respect.
“This is not just about Peller or the unemployed graduates,” said Dr. Akin Olaniyan, a social commentator and academic. “It reflects the uncomfortable truth that Nigeria’s educational institutions are increasingly disconnected from the demands of a rapidly digitised world.”
Analysts describe the episode as a textbook case of what French sociologist Pierre Bourdieu called a clash between cultural capital, education, credentials, knowledge—and economic capital generated in unconventional spaces like the attention economy. Where a university degree once stood as the ticket to upward mobility, today’s reality is different: online influencers with massive followings are commanding wealth and visibility that traditional professionals can only dream of.
Peller, whose TikTok boasts over 11 million followers and more than 465 million likes, has become a poster child of this new digital elite. His rise,bbased purely on algorithmic fluency, branding savvy, and monetisation strategies, exemplifies the power of content creation in today’s economy. For Nigeria’s unemployed graduates, his success is a mirror, and sometimes a mockery, of their struggle.
“This is about a legitimacy crisis,” Olaniyan explains. “We are not witnessing a joke, but a turning point in how society assigns value and power.”
The video drew widespread criticism and introspection. Some labelled it a “comic tragedy,” pointing to the alarming state of graduate underemployment in the country. Others viewed it as a stark reminder that Nigeria’s formal education system may no longer be equipping young people with the skills they need.
“Many Nigerian universities still teach with outdated curricula and models,” Olaniyan said. “Media and communication students, for example, graduate with little or no exposure to digital storytelling, branding, or platform monetisation. How can they compete in an economy driven by attention?”
While some observers dismissed Peller and others like him as “unserious dropouts,” many now acknowledge the level of intentionality and digital intelligence required to thrive as a content creator. Building a profitable online brand is no fluke—it involves strategic content planning, understanding platform algorithms, and consistently engaging audiences.
The real danger, Olaniyan warns, is not that young people are inspired by digital fame, but that formal education continues to operate in isolation from it. “It’s no longer enough to earn a degree. Students need to understand how to apply their knowledge in a digital-first environment.”
He adds that the responsibility doesn’t rest solely on universities. Content creators, too, must recognise the influence they wield. “Peller’s video might have been for laughs and views, but it also sends a message, intended or not, that educational achievement is no longer respected.”
In conclusion, Olaniyan argues that the viral moment was more than entertainment. It was social commentary, a mirror reflecting Nigeria’s shifting values. “What unsettled many was not just that a TikTok star held interviews with PhD holders, but that we all knew he could.”
The episode underscores an urgent need for reform: for Nigerian universities to modernise their curricula, for educators to embrace digital tools, and for society to reimagine the relationship between education and opportunity in the digital age.
As Olaniyan puts it: “This wasn’t just content, it was a wake-up call.”
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