Globally, there have been a number of youth-led protests in recent times. All around the world, young people seem to be reaching the end of their patience with corrupt, ineffective and repressive governments.

Analysts suggest got the when it comes to the economic fallout of the . But Boomers, Millennials and Gen X probably have something to say about that. 

We can argue about who all day long, but what is clear is that the youthful Gen Z have the energy to actually go out onto the streets and do something about .

And that is exactly what they have been doing.

Lately there have been youth-led protests in several countries including Kenya, Morocco, Peru, and Nepal.

So, are we likely to see a Gen Z protest in Nigeria? Well, let us look at the similarities Nigeria shares with the countries that have had protests.

Kenya

In Kenya, the after the William Ruto government tried to pass a Finance Bill that came with .

After the first wave of protests, the government tweaked some parts of the bill and passed it, but the youth were still not having it. More intense protests followed.

and were met with brutal police resistance. Over 20 people died and many others were injured. But on June 26, 2025, President William Ruto he would not sign the bill into law.

In Nigeria, the Tinubu administration is trying to make up for a revenue shortfall caused by lower oil prices by taxing an already struggling population and turning government agencies into revenue-focused, money-printing machines.

Apart from widening the tax net through four tax reform bills set to kick off in January 2026, the government has been flirting with several other taxes on goods and services.

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has twice since Tinubu became president, including doubling the fees in 2025. Then there is the 4 percent Free-On-Board (FOB) charge on imported products to boost the revenue of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS). It was , reintroduced after the senate raised the NCS revenue budget from 鈧�6.584 trillion to 鈧�10 trillion, then in September due to public backlash. 

The government has also floated the idea of a . Even the police are not left out, with attempts to which were scrapped in 2022 because officers were using them to extort and harass motorists.

Peru

Peruvian youth have been protesting since early September 2025. On October 22, the government to try and stop the protests, which have already seen at least 19 people injured in clashes with law enforcement.

The youth are pushing the government to do something about the country鈥檚 . Kidnapping by organised crime groups is in Peru.

In Nigeria, insecurity is also a major problem, and kidnapping has become a trillion-naira industry.

The National Bureau of Statistics that Nigerians paid a total of N2.23 trillion as ransom between 2023 and 2024. And according to SBM Intelligence, between 2024 and 2025.

Nigerians have even turned to to meet ransom demands.

Morocco

Gen Z protesters in Morocco have been since September 27, 2025 to complain about the poor state of public education and healthcare.

is watching their government spend money on hosting international sporting events like the 2030 FIFA World Cup and the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, while public services remain underfunded and youth unemployment is through the roof.

The parallels with Nigeria are uncanny. We have all the same problems, yet Tinubu was . Thankfully, .

Nepal

Nepal had its own Gen Z protests in September. The trigger? The government social media platforms during a viral trend that the lavish lifestyles of politicians鈥� family members.

It has been that the ban was a way to pressure social media platforms into complying with a new Digital Services Tax that placed stricter VAT rules on foreign e-service providers. It was all part of the government鈥檚 plan to boost revenue.

were killed in the protests, government buildings were vandalised and burnt, and Prime Minister K. P. Sharma Oli, along with a few other ministers, .

Nigerians are no strangers to by government officials and their families on social media. And recently, OpenAI announced it would be of ChatGPT to account for the 7.5 percent VAT mandated by the government.

Who will barb us this style?

With how similar Nigeria鈥檚 situation is to these countries that have had protests, it is almost surprising that Nigerians have not taken to the streets already, or at least mobilised some other ways.

While a few factors have sparked protests elsewhere, Nigeria has a cocktail of all of them. Yet, Nigeria鈥檚 Gen Z remains silent.

Quite understandably, many Nigerians have been watching these protests with . Nobody wants chaos and violence, but it is easy to wish for a day when Nigeria鈥檚 political class finally get what many think they deserve.

But can Nigeria鈥檚 youth actually make a stand against the government like their mates have done globally?

Well, the simple answer is yes. Anything is possible. But the more honest answer? It is currently very unlikely.

The tower of Babel Nigeria

鈥�…let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.鈥�

~Genesis 11, verse 7

Nigeria has many problems, but one of the biggest is the problem of cultural identity.

Obafemi Awolowo wrote in his 1947 book, Path to Nigerian Freedom, that 鈥淣igeria is not a nation, it is a mere geographical expression. There are no 鈥淣igerians鈥� in the same sense as there are 鈥淓nglish鈥� or 鈥淲elsh鈥� or 鈥淔rench鈥�. The word Nigeria is merely a distinctive appellation to distinguish those who live within the boundaries of Nigeria from those who do not.鈥�

In Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie鈥檚 2006 novel, Half of a Yellow Sun, the character Odenigbo says, 鈥淚 am Nigerian because a white man created Nigeria and gave me that identity鈥� But I was Igbo before the white man came.鈥�

This sentiment still lives in Nigeria today鈥攖he idea that ethnic identity must come before the national identity of being Nigerian. This means it is still very easy to divide Nigerians along ethnic lines, and opportunistic politicians take full advantage.

In the 2023 elections, people were if they were perceived to be from the wrong ethnic group. In Lagos, hoodlums stopped people from exercising their constitutional right if they were .

Since then, there has been a rise in ethnic supremacy sentiments in the South West under the

For a united stand to be taken against the government, Nigeria鈥檚 youth will have to look beyond their differences and fight for collective interests.

We came, we saw, they opened fire

We must not forget that young Nigerians have had a nationwide movement before. And they are still reeling from the fallout.

October 20, 2025, marked the fifth anniversary of the , where officers of the Nigerian Army opened fire on peaceful protesters during the nationwide in 2020.

The shooting basically marked the end of the protests, which had seen young people all over the country unite under the common goal of ending police brutality and extortion.

The EndSARS protest was exactly the type of organic, united movement that has led to youth-led change around the world. Police brutality affected a wide range of young Nigerians, regardless of class, religion, or ethnicity.

But the fatal response from the government took the wind out of the sails of the youth, and five years later, they have not returned to the streets in such force again.

Whether young Nigerians can overcome the trauma of the violence they faced in order to start a similar movement seems unlikely.

Many are scared. And they have good reason to be.

What was it all for?

It is hard not to look at the EndSARS protests as a thorough defeat.

In the wake of the Lekki shooting, several All Progressives Congress (APC) members denied the events of that night. Five years later, the APC is still the ruling party.

Days after soldiers killed innocent citizens, Bola Ahmed Tinubu those who had been shot had to 鈥渁nswer some questions.鈥� He implied they deserved their fate for staying at the protest site and questioned their characters. He is currently the president of Nigeria.

Despite the Judicial Panel of Inquiry describing the events of October 20, 2020, , none of the deniers has taken back their words or apologised. Nobody with the power to have ordered the soldiers to the toll gate has been held accountable.

Five years later, activists of the massacre by placing flowers at the toll gate were .

In August 2024, angry citizens held to protest hunger and bad governance. Afterwards, a and tried for treason which carries the death penalty. They were eventually after public outrage, but the fact that the death penalty was even on the table shows the kind of culture of fear the government wants to instill in Nigeria鈥檚 youth.

In this climate, it is understandably hard to build the motivation and momentum for mass movements.

Many ways to kill rat

鈥淎 problem well stated is half solved.鈥�

~Charles Kettering

Knowing why a youth protest would be difficult in Nigeria means we also know how to solve those problems.

Nigeria鈥檚 youth need to realise that, just like with police brutality in 2020, many of today鈥檚 problems affect all of us, regardless of ethnicity. Nigeria might be the product of colonialism, but so are many other countries where people have found ways to work together regardless. Cultural identity is not an insurmountable challenge, and a Nigeria that works for everyone is possible if we work together for it.

Many of the countries that have had successful youth protests were also met with stiff, even lethal, government resistance. But they did not back down.

If Nigerians do come out to the streets again, they must be ready for resistance from security forces. Momentum cannot be lost in the face of state violence. It must become fuel for even more stubborn demonstrations.

While it is easy to be envious of global examples of youth protests, we must not fall into the trap of seeing civil unrest as the only route to achieve the change we want. Democracy offers a peaceful way to get rid of unwanted governments.

The art of the follow-through

Three years after the EndSARS protests, Nigerians went to the polls in 2023. And while the lead-up to the election saw increased registration numbers for young people and women, the voter turnout was one of the .

Nigeria鈥檚 youth are its largest demographic group and, as a bloc, would be a voting majority. But they need to shake off their apathy, realise the impact that politics has on their lives, and get involved. And when elections come round, they need to follow through by actually showing up on the day and casting their vote.

We could hope for another organic protest movement that balloons into the toppling of the government in a blaze of violence and chaos. Or we can put our energy towards having a quieter but equally impactful revolution at the polls.

Dear Nigerian Gen Z, which one you dey?

Before you go, help us understand how you and other young people feel about the 2027 general elections by taking .

Find out here:

An eater

a food lover

a cunnilinguist

a diner

So MOTHER

So real

She's mother of two

So iconic

Too protective

Gyatt

Goddamn

Wife

Friend

Gone

Off the road

Indoors

Avoid cars

Get the hell out

Around the road

Groceries

Foodstuff

Vitamins

Supplements

Garri

Neps

Nepo baby

Neptune

Nephews

NEPA

Pushin P

Keep hustling

Keep it real

Dealing drugs

Setting agenda

Cheugy

Outdated

Chewing loudly

Stressful

Sigma

Update

Ringleader

Sigmatics

Fanum Tax

Swag fee

Eating food

Inappropriate money

Skibidi

Cringe

Evil

Explosion

Dance

NPC

Wicked

Boring

Clown

Non-playable character

Yeet

Yes

Average

Audacity

Hot

O ti lo

No trace

Divert

Unavailable

Follow up

Doings

Bad behaviours

Achievements

Execution

Busy

You got #{score}/#{total}

Good for you but you'll grow older and new slangs will come sha.

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Not bad. You know some ball.

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Damn, why are you so cheugy?聽

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I’ve been listening to some of them again recently, so I decided to give them their flowers and do a little digging to find out what some of them are up to now. 

Olu Maintain 

Nigeria is never beating these 419 allegations because how did a song about doing yahoo-yahoo become the country’s unofficial anthem in 2007? Olu Maintain’s Yahoozee was so big I remember watching him perform it in front of then-President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua. 

But even before Yahoozee, Olu Maintain was responsible for 1990s hits like Catch Cold and Wifey. 

Mo’Cheddah 

Miley Cyrus’ Hannah Montana might’ve raised some of you, but my teen female pop icon was, and will always be, Mo’Cheddah. This babe gave attitude, fashion and range with songs like If You Want Me and Ko Ma Roll. No one was doing it like Mo’Cheddah from 2009 to 2010, both within and outside rap in Nigeria. 

Even though Mo has given up music for the lifestyle-content-creator-mummy lifestyle, she’s still one of the baddest to ever do it, and that’s on Mary and her little lamb. 

Naeto C

For millennial Nigerians, life is divided into life before Naeto C’s Kini Big Deal and life after. Economies were saved, clubs were popping, MP3 players were on fire, and life was good, all because Naeto C sang the lyrics, “Wahalai lai talai, gimme lighter. Shebi shebi, we’re on fire.” 

Naeto C has evolved from yummy rapper to yummy Instagram daddy and husband. Even though I want new music, watching him and Nicole Chikwe serve couple goals is enough for me. 

Terry G 

Is it me, or did Terry G’s Free Madness come out 15 years too early? We were all relatively sane when he dropped that and Akpako, but after the shege we’ve seen over the years, omo, Nigerians are currently running on madness, vibes and long island. 

I discovered that Terry G still makes music, so I feel this is the right time for Free Madness 3.0. Does anyone have his WhatsApp number so I can pitch my idea? 

RECOMMENDED: Gen Zs, Here are the Biggest Nigerian Songs From the Year You Were Born

Soul E 

Soul E’s short run in the Nigerian music industry feels like a fever dream. One minute he’s climbing charts with Soul E Baba and singing with 2Face on E Be Like Say. Next thing, the man is announcing that he’s an apostle. 

Happy for you, sir, but you could still drop a gospel album. I won’t be mad at that. 

Kas 

I know what you’re thinking, “Conrad, but Kas had only two hit songs, Fimile and Whine for Me“, and my response is: 

Imagine leaving such an indelible impression with just two songs that people still ask of you over ten years later? I mean, look at the material. But like Soul E, Kas is now a man of God, so we’ll have to manage these songs until we get raptured or something. 

Shank 

Before Burna Boy began serving dancehall-inspired jams like Run My Race and Check & Balance, Shank was the original don gorgon of reggae and dancehall in Nigeria. Remember Julie and Ghetto? Shank was the music industry’s resident bad boy, churning out hits and getting tattoos like it was nobody’s business (to be fair, it’s actually no one’s business).

Burna might be the African giant now, but best believe he’s standing on the shoulders of artistes like Shank. 

Sasha P 

If there’s one rap song I can rap bar for bar with a gun to my head, it’s Sasha’s 2007 hit, Adara. Dropping the song as a response to the haters who called her a one-hit wonder after the success of 2004鈥檚 Emi Le Gan, Adara was a significant part of my early teens. Even though I couldn’t see them, I was super confident I had haters too. 

Sasha, we don’t have a lot of female rappers in Nigeria today. Do you maybe want to help us with an album or two? 

QUIZ: Can You Identify The Artist Who Popularised Each Of These Nigerian Dances?

Take the quiz:

First, you need to have zero tolerance for stress

If you think you can still manage with a little inconvenience here or there, then you鈥檙e not ready yet. You鈥檙e still catching feelings for the struggle life. But if you don鈥檛 like a single bit of stress, then here鈥檚 what you need to do.

Have money

You can鈥檛 be saying no to stress without having plenty of money to speak for you. If you want to taste the soft life while broke, you will see pepper.

Or have rich parents

Your life will be even easier if your parents are wealthy. But you still need  to have your own money because they might not approve of the extent of your enjoyment.

Have a second passport

You need to stay guided with your second passport, preferably from a country that uses +44 or +91. Because Nigeria will stress you so much, you鈥檒l need to take trips to cool your head off.

Have constant light

鈥淯p NEPA鈥� cannot be your portion if you鈥檙e planning to enjoy yourself as a Gen Z. If you don鈥檛 have light for at least 20 hours a day, how exactly is your life soft?

Your drip needs to scream 鈥渓uxury鈥�

You need to make a statement with your dress. You can鈥檛 be planning for enjoyment and wearing clothes that鈥檒l make your estate security stop you at the gate . Your wardrobe needs to fall in line with your plans.

Make sure to add a pair of crocs

You can trust me because I鈥檓 Gen Z. This is the maggi that brings together the school uniform for Gen Zs that are enjoying the soft life. Will you start wearing it everywhere you go and look like a homeless person sometimes? Yes. Will it be worth it? Also yes.

Try out new restaurants every weekend

A bit of ambience and variety are what you鈥檙e going for here. You can sample a Chinese restaurant this week and visit a roadside buka the next weekend, just to confuse your enemies.

Make your Instagram lit

Document the life of leisure that you鈥檙e living with full doses of inspirational captions: Iskelebetiolebebebee 鈥� nobody knows what it means, but it gets the people going.

 The intensity of your enjoyment needs to be felt everywhere please, both offline and online.

Have fast internet 

We don鈥檛 need to say much about this one. You know half of your life is going to be on the internet, so don鈥檛 make the mistake of having a slow internet connection because your life will be hard for no reason. Pick a good service provider and save yourself any stress.

Use Paga to handle your money

You need to use Paga because you鈥檙e not a maga, and you can鈥檛 have your money giving you an attitude when you鈥檙e trying to spend it. If fast payments, better cards experience and total freedom with your money sound good to you, then you definitely want to use it to handle your money. Start your journey .

NEXT READ: People, This Is What Soft Life Actually Means

Record TikTok videos with them

You鈥檒l have to sacrifice your millennial hips to do their trendy TikTok dances with them. Maybe they鈥檒l pity you and give you the less complicated ones. 

Don鈥檛 comment on any of their social media accounts

You鈥檙e lucky that they allow you to follow them on social media sef, so don鈥檛 ruin it. Just look and pass when you see their posts. Hold yourself from dropping that 鈥渇unny鈥� comment. They鈥檒l block you.聽

Stay away from their love life聽

I know you want to ask a million questions about that person your sibling is always video calling, but don鈥檛. Don鈥檛 try to do, 鈥淚鈥檓 your older sibling. I need to protect you from people.鈥� Just face front and mind your business. They鈥檒l eventually tell you if they want to. 

ALSO READ:聽 Nigerian Millennials Respond to Nigerian Gen Z鈥檈rs Dragging Them

Don鈥檛 say 鈥減im鈥� about their fashion choices

Gen Z fashuonz is very unique. You may not understand what your sibling is wearing, or why, but don鈥檛 say anything. If not, they鈥檒l drag you by saying 鈥淥kay boomer鈥�. If you want them to like you, again, mind your business. 

At least try to listen to their music

It鈥檚 time to go and download trap and alt茅 music onto your phone. Quick tip: trap musicians usually have 鈥淟il鈥� at the beginning of their names or 鈥淏aby鈥� at the end. 

Learn their vocabulary

You need to know when to say insert GenZ lingo like 鈥減urr鈥�, 鈥減eriod鈥� and 鈥渋t鈥檚 giving鈥︹�� during the conversation. If not, they鈥檒l think you鈥檙e boring and won鈥檛 like giving you gist.聽

ALSO READ: If Gen Zs Don鈥檛 Say These 12 Things in a Day, They Might Actually Die

Always have WiFi

If there鈥檚 one thing GenZs always do is look for where to charge their phone and ask for WiFi. Once you allow them to connect to your hotspot, you become their favourite person. 

Don鈥檛 call them too much

They don鈥檛 really like calls; they prefer texts. If you call them too much, you may get blocked. I鈥檓 not joking, this generation is brutal. 

Send them money聽

In fact, if you don鈥檛 do anything else on this list, do this one consistently. They鈥檒l love you for life. 

ALSO READ: The Gen Z Guide to Keeping Older Friends

This Hear Me Out was written by Aladeselu Margaret Ayomikun.

Of all the things a girl could be in this world, I chose to be a 19-year-old feminist in Nigeria. I was 9 years old the first time I read Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Purple Hibiscus. Even though I could only understand the book the best way a child can, I still remember feeling like I had discovered the eighth wonder of the world.

鈥淏eing defiant can be a good thing sometimes.鈥漈hese words stood out to me. Aunty Ifeoma was just a character in a book, but she gave me permission to embrace my 鈥渄efiance鈥�.

It seemed almost impossible that somebody could give ordinary words so much power. And the more I flipped through the pages, the more I felt as if Chimamanda was writing my mother鈥檚 story. Then, it occurred to me that many women in Nigeria are just like Mama. In that very moment, I knew I had to know more about the author.

I picked up my older sister’s phone and started my little quest for answers. It was during this process I discovered the word feminist, and when I knew what it meant, I knew I had found my identity.

I had found my identity. 

The world will always come up with new ways to objectify and sexualise women. I grew up wearing mini-skirts and thin-strap tops my mother bought for me at bend-down-select. I was called a slut for the first time when I was only 10. And as weird as it might sound, it was my own mother who called me that. According to her, people were starting to talk, my breasts were poking through the thin fabric of my favourite tops. One day, she looked at me with distaste and called me a slut.

As a Gen Z feminist, you must be ready to become the topic of every family meeting. You should also prepare yourself for endless unsolicited opinions. I have come to realise my feminism terrifies a lot of people; it makes them angry. If I didn鈥檛 have such a coconut head, perhaps, I would鈥檝e cared.

I鈥檝e always been vocal about my feminism. I would walk into a room and somehow, start talking about women鈥檚 rights. The world has a long history of despising 鈥渓oud women.鈥� The result of that is I鈥檝e had to sit through painfully long hours of my parents giving me “the talk” about how no man will ever want a wife who won鈥檛 submit. 

Several times, I鈥檝e listened to my brother try to convince me that identifying as a feminist would make people hate me. He suggested I try other terms like “gender rights advocate.” I鈥檝e seen my name become the butt of jokes about Nigerian feminists in my school. People have asked, “Oh, you’re a feminist?” I imagine they pity the person who would marry me. 

And I can鈥檛 forget my religious friends who remind me that feminism is not part of God’s plan. As a matter of fact, I鈥檝e been bullied in church because of my feminism. 

On a 鈥渟pecial Sunday鈥�, youth pastors were walking in circles, selecting random people in the congregation to answer questions. One pastor called me out and asked, 鈥淲hat would you do if your husband wants you to cook, do his laundry, do the dishes and clean the house, every single day?鈥� My answer was simple. 鈥淚 would tell him I鈥檓 his wife, not a slave.鈥�

I was walking back to my seat when a young man requested to speak next. 鈥淲omen like her are the problem of the church鈥�. Even though these words were coming from a complete stranger, they still stung. There is a common idea that feminists are 鈥渟trong鈥� and have a 鈥渢ough skin鈥�, but we鈥檙e only human. 

I was publicly humiliated at school once. I was in the middle of a heated argument about how Nigerian culture needs to be reformed until it acknowledges that daughters deserve the same respect sons get without even trying. There was a look of disgust on the faces of the men I was arguing with because I was suggesting something as 鈥渟acred鈥� as culture needed to be reformed.

Not just that, the only woman who agreed with me expressed her view in low whispers. I was still trying to make people see the sense in what I was saying when I felt somebody yank my wig off my head. The loud echoes of laughter that followed right after broke my heart. I cried horribly for days because that was the smallest I鈥檇 ever felt in my entire life. I didn鈥檛 tell anybody about the new level of anxiety and self-doubt it unlocked inside me. 

Memories like these leave me with questions I haven鈥檛 been able to answer to this very day. What鈥檚 it about my feminism that terrifies people? Why does it make people’s blood boil? Is it because I鈥檓 tired of seeing doors slammed in the faces of deserving women on the sole basis of gender? Is it because I believe women should not be denied their right to safe abortion? Or because I would never fit the 鈥済ood African wife鈥� narrative my mother has spent her entire life trying to fit? 

Society claims to appreciate women, but in reality, they only appreciate women who deliberately dim their light just to allow men shine. As a woman, you鈥檙e expected to aspire to be a good wife and mother, to never prioritise anything over your matrimonial duties.

On some days, you鈥檙e allowed to have an opinion, but it鈥檚 usually better to keep those opinions to yourself. You can speak up about gender-based violence, but when you do, prepare for the 鈥渕aybe you shouldn’t have gone to that place, or worn that dress, or said that to him鈥� speech that would follow right after.

You鈥檙e expected to dress the way women are 鈥渟upposed鈥� to dress 鈥� everything knee-length or baggy, minimal accessories and NO cleavage 鈥� any other type of dressing would be seen as defiance. You should also smile even when you have no reason to. I鈥檝e watched many women shrink themselves to fit that little, demeaning image society has created.

All my life, my mother shrunk herself just to stroke my father’s ego, and it鈥檚 never made much sense to me. Even though we all knew how hard she worked to raise our school fees, she would give the credit to my father because that鈥檚 what good wives do. Just like my siblings and I, my mother had a curfew because 鈥済ood wives shouldn鈥檛 be outside past 8 p.m.鈥� And if God forbid, she ever misses her curfew, he would punish her the way bad wives should be punished, by locking her outside her own home.

It鈥檚 very easy for people to ignorantly assume feminists are angry and unhappy women who hate men, and I鈥檓 tired of this misconception. You could spend your whole life educating people about the true meaning of feminism, and they would still choose to listen to those little patriarchal voices in their heads. I鈥檓 not naive enough to think the world would change overnight because of me, but I鈥檓 never going to stop clamouring for that change.

I was once the kind of feminist who only said the things men like to hear. Things like, 鈥淚鈥檓 a feminist but I still think a man should be the head of the family鈥�. I was at a point where I relied heavily on people鈥檚 validation for every aspect of my life. Even my feminism was tainted by societal stereotypes because I didn鈥檛 want my views to offend anybody. I would tell myself I could be a feminist and still be a 鈥淣igerian woman鈥�, the one who would master the act of compromising to seem nicer to men. A small part of me didn鈥檛 want to contradict everything the Bible says a woman should be.

But last year, I got selected for a women鈥檚 rights fellowship where I met 19 like-minded women. For the first time in my life, I had the opportunity to be in a room full of feminists, and they helped me realise that if I couldn鈥檛 be an unapologetic feminist, there was no point in being a feminist at all. I鈥檓 used to being hated now. As a matter of fact, it doesn鈥檛 bother me anymore because the kind of people who hate me for my feminism is exactly the kind I don’t want to be associated with. 

I have a clear vision of how I want my feminism to impact the world. It starts with calling bullshit on all the misogynist nonsense society likes to preach. And on days when I feel like giving up, I remind myself of the different ways society robbed my mother of her voice and happiness. Like many Nigerian women, she deserved better. She still does.

ALSO READ: 8 Nigerian Women Talk About Why They Became Feminists

You鈥檙e welcome. 

Kukere 鈥� Iyanya (2012)

Iyanya had Nigerians in a chokehold the year this song came out. Once you heard, 鈥淎ll my ladies,鈥� you knew it was time to break it down. Kukere was so inescapable, there鈥檚 a high chance even your grandma might remember it. 

Chop My Money 鈥� P-Square (2011) 

To think most of us sang Chop My Money even when our broke asses knew there was no money to be chopped. Anyway, if you were born in 2011, you have to work hard so you鈥檒l live out your destiny as a sugar parent. 

Oleku 鈥� Ice Prince (2010)

The combination of Ice Prince, Brymo and Jesse Jagz was all we needed to start a new decade. Good times for real. Gen Z鈥檚 might never know what life was like back when a dollar was just 鈧�150. 

Yori Yori 鈥� Bracket (2009) 

Everyone complains about Yoruba demons, but have you had an Igbo man try to toast you? Bracket鈥檚 Yori Yori is a classic example of an Igbo man鈥檚 sweet mouth. You鈥檒l be listening to the song and smiling like a fool. May God save us. 

Gongo Aso 鈥� 9ice (2008) 

No one was doing it like 9ice in 2008. With one of the hottest albums and tracks of the year, this guy was so gassed, he even saw himself winning a Grammy. While that hasn鈥檛 happened, no one can contest that Gongo Aso was a major musical moment Nigerians will never forget. 

Yahooze 鈥� Olu Maintain (2007) 

You know your song is big when it inspires a dance craze that becomes so common, people use it for other songs. Yahoozee was THAT GIRL in 2007. We don鈥檛 support the message behind this song, but Yahooze walked so could run. Also, there鈥檚 a high chance this was Hushpuppi鈥檚 anthem back in the day. 

Ijoya 鈥� Weird MC (2006) 

Ijoya was EPIC, and that intro was such an earworm. But you see its music video? Our minds couldn鈥檛 contain it. If you were born in 2006, just know you have no choice but to be a creative genius. The bar was raised to the skies that year. 

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Mr. President 鈥� African China (2005) 

African China released a whole song begging Nigerian leaders to fix up and do their job. I鈥檓 sure some Gen Z鈥檚 are thinking, 鈥淏ut we鈥檙e still asking for the same things boo.鈥� Well, babes, this struggle? Omo no be today e start. 

African Queen 鈥� 2face Idibia (2004) 

Before Wizkid鈥檚 Essence or Burna Boy鈥檚 Ye became an international cultural movement, father Abraham 2face Idibia was laying the groundwork with this 2004 classic. African Queen shifted the culture and introduced a new wave of Afrobeats to the world. Respect that!

Danfo Driver 鈥� Mad Melon and Mountain Black (2003) 

We need to bring back the galala and swo dance moves. All this variation of leg work, are you people not tired? Throw on some Danfo Driver and show us what you鈥檝e got. Dear Gen Zs, this song is an important piece of Afropop history; study it.

Mr. Lecturer 鈥� Eedris Abdulkareem (2002) 

Twenty years later and the message behind Mr. Lecturer is still relevant today. But that’s the thing about Eedris Abdulkareem songs because the last time I checked, Nigeria is still jaga jaga and that鈥檚 the (cold) tea. 

My Car 鈥� Tony Tetuila (2001) 

Honestly, Mr. Tony, if more than one person bashes your car in the same day, then maybe you鈥檙e the problem. Just let that sink in. Gen Zs born in 2001 are obviously bad drivers 鈥� it鈥檚 not a coincidence. 

Konko Below 鈥� Lagbaja (2000)

Before there was Meghan Thee Stallion, Cardi B or Nicki Minaj, there was Lagbaja. Thanks to this OG twerk anthem, Lagbaja had everyone with their hands on their knees popping their bootys. WAP and Anaconda are cute, but none of them come close to the power of Konko Below. 

Diana 鈥� Daddy Showkey (1999)

A masterclass in storytelling, Daddy Showkey鈥檚 Diana is a classic we all love. This man gave us a whole episode of Super Story and This Life in less than five minutes. We just have to stan. 

Skakomo 鈥� Remedies (1998) 

Shakomo takes us back to the days when Nigerian artists used to copy and paste American beats without shame. To be fair, 2pac was busy fighting Notorious B.I.G so I doubt he noticed this hit. 

Dem Go Dey Pose 鈥� Baba Fryo (1997) 

Gen Zs have PrettyBoy DO and Cruel Santino, but right when their era was about to start in 1997, Baba Fryo was the man of the moment. 

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