The recent social media crisis that erupted over TikTok personality known as Peller (Habeeb Hamzat) over his mockery of master’s degree holders left a sour taste. On the surface, it was a case of a tactless young man without a university degree but with social media fame and money trying to ridicule university degree holders. But it went beyond that.

The summary of the story is that Peller advertised for a camera operator who must have a minimum of a master’s degree. The salary would be N500,000 per month. Predictably, many young Nigerians applied for the job. Peller recorded the sessions and used them as social media content. He was seen in the videos talking down on the candidates, body-shaming them, ridiculing them and making them look inconsequential.

Peller did not just ask for an excellent camera operator. He did not ask for people with first degrees. He consciously asked for people with a master’s degree. He did it on purpose because he wanted to prove a point. And the point is that even though he does not have a university degree and is seen as a “boy” who is not soundly educated, he can employ someone with a master’s as his cinematographer.

Let it be remembered that having a master’s does not confer any advantage on a camera operator in terms of skills. A camera operator does not need even a university degree to excel, especially one who is working for oneself. A university degree can only help such a camera operator speak better English, and a cameraman, while discussing with clients, which can also be acquired through reading and practice.

Therefore, it was obvious that Peller was not primarily concerned about getting a top-notch camera professional. He wanted to create some news around himself and ridicule the whole institution of scholarship in Nigeria. His attitude aligns with the popular saying among some classes of Nigerians that “education is a scam”. It is intended to prove that education is a waste of time, that people no longer need to go to school to achieve success. This saying is usually buttressed with celebrities (musicians, comedians, footballers, entrepreneurs, as well as people whose source of wealth is unknown but who are known to throw money around) as examples of successful people who achieve fame and financial success without a university degree.

In Nigeria, unlike in Western countries, secondary school education is not considered good enough. Someone without a university degree is technically seen as one who has not truly acquired education. In Western countries, people with a secondary school certificate are considered educated. They can get good jobs. They can rise to become directors and CEOs without ever acquiring a university degree. All they need to do is to continuously upgrade their skills and get some licences in their profession. This was obtainable in the Nigeria of the colonial era as well as two decades after Independence.

But from the 1980s, things began to change at a fast pace. A university degree began to be seen as the minimum qualification for employment that paid well and had some prospects. Those without a university degree were restricted to blue-collar jobs – drivers, cleaners, security officials, machine operators, factory workers, etc.

By the turn of the century, it was becoming obvious that one might be employed by an organisation with a first degree, but one needed a master’s degree to be seen as someone with a bright future in any organisation. But what Peller and other Nigerians who think like him are saying is that in the Nigeria of today, a university degree is as good as nothing when it comes to job prospects.

Ironically, everybody who believes that a university degree is not important ensures that all his or her children get university degrees. Even when their children choose not to get a degree but to pursue their dream, these people insist on their children getting a degree. They advise their children to acquire the degree, even if they don’t need it. “Just get the degree. You can throw the certificate away after acquiring it. But just get it because you never can tell what the future may hold for you,” they say. It is believed that without a university degree, one’s chances in Nigeria are extremely limited. One without a university degree is never truly seen as educated, no matter the level of success or achievements. It is also believed that a university degree will make it easy for one to enter certain circles or to brand one’s business better or add some innovative ideas.

There is nothing wrong with people without university degrees employing those with multiple degrees. Many of the owners of successful companies in Nigeria don’t have a university degree. Some of them did not even pass through a secondary school. But they were able to set up businesses that employ hundreds or thousands of people, including those with chains of degrees.

The problem with what Peller did was that rather than motivating the public that he was able to excel without a university degree, he tried to ridicule educated people and education. It is worse that he is mocking people at a time like this in Nigeria when the economy is experiencing a downturn, which has affected the chances of many Nigerian graduates of securing jobs. It is a case of hitting people that are already down. It is thoughtless, tactless, and insensitive.

At a time like this, people like Peller, who have become popular because young Nigerians spend their hard-earned money on data to watch their content, should be creating programmes that motivate and empower them. At a time like this, when many young Nigerians are obsessed with fast money without work, Peller would have been a true influencer by showcasing Nigerians who are eager to work and eager to make money genuinely.

Nobody should be allowed to make a mockery of education and university graduates in Nigeria, no matter what Nigeria may be going through. Those who have acquired degrees should not keep quiet when those without degrees try to make a mockery of education in Nigeria. The reason is that the more people keep quiet, the more those who have no value for education would dictate the mainstream values in Nigeria. And that will help to make our children believe that education is no longer useful.

This will affect our value system, which is already bastardised. The more people believe that education is not important, the more they believe that making money genuinely is also not important.

The people involved in that job interview saga should also ensure that they take legal action against him. Using their pictures and videos to make money without their consent should not be acceptable. Yelling at them and subjecting them to ridicule and emotional trauma with the excuse of a job interview should also not be acceptable.

One of the things working for Nigerians globally is their love for education, degrees and certificates. Nigerians are considered one of the most educated people wherever they are because many Nigerian graduates have more than one degree. Nigerians are among the few people in the world who acquire a doctorate just for the self-fulfilment they derive from it.

Finally, this Peller saga should also serve as a warning to Nigeria regarding the haziness about the academic qualifications needed to hold the most important position in Nigeria, which determines the fate of over 200 million people. It is not just that one can become Nigeria’s president without a university degree; the Supreme Court has also ruled that one does not even need to have a secondary school certificate to become Nigeria’s president. Having such low and nebulous standards for a critical position like the Nigerian presidency has far-reaching effects on the global perception of Nigeria and the attitude of Nigerians towards education, excellence and values.

• X: @BrandAzuka