The Great Nigerian Youth Conspiracy

Let’s talk about something that nobody wants to talk about.

Something so sinister, so deeply ingrained in society, that by the time you wake up to it, you’re already behind in a race you didn’t even know you were running.

It’s a demonic conspiracy, one designed to make Nigerian youth foolish, distracted, and directionless in their 20s—so that by their 30s, they are robbed of their vitality, their options, and their future.

Now, before you start muttering, “This guy is always dramatic,” let me tell you a story.

The Foolish Prince and the Ruthless King

Once upon a time, in the court of France, there was a prince who was destined for greatness. He had everything—wealth, access, and potential. But he loved pleasure. Women, drink, and entertainment occupied his mind far more than the affairs of state.

The wise men of the court warned him, “Your enemies are watching. They are waiting for your foolishness to create an opening.”

But the prince waved them off. “Age is just a number,” he said. “Let me enjoy my youth.”

Then, one day, his father, the king, was poisoned at dinner.

The prince, now thrust onto the throne, was unprepared. He had spent his 20s chasing pleasure while his rivals spent their 20s sharpening knives. Within a year, he was overthrown and exiled, spending the rest of his life as a beggar in the streets of Italy.

Now, what does this have to do with you?

Everything.

Because right now, you’re being told that your 20s are for "vibing" and "cruising." You’re being told that discipline is for old people. That money is a scam. That success is just luck. That it’s okay to figure things out later.

What they don’t tell you is that by the time you wake up, the game is already over.

The Trap of Delayed Realization

A lot of people say to me, “Vusi, I wish I had met you in my 20s.”

No, you don’t.

Because if you had met me in your 20s, you would have hated me. You would have called me arrogant, too serious, out of touch. You would have said, “Relax, uncle. Let me enjoy my life.”

And that’s the whole point.

You see, the system is designed to make you blind at the only time in your life when you have the flexibility to take the biggest risks.

They send out their compromised influencers—agents of distraction—to tell you, “Age is just a number.” But this is a lie.

Certain opportunities are age-sensitive.

By the time you hit 30, life starts handing out invoices. And let me tell you, the cost of missed opportunities is one of the most expensive debts you can ever owe.

But by then, it’s too late.

The Science of Foolishness

Here’s a little biology for you:

A man’s prefrontal cortex—the part of the brain responsible for rational decision-making—doesn’t fully develop until around age 25.

That means if you’re in your early 20s, your brain is literally wired to make bad decisions.

You are more likely to chase pleasure and avoid difficulty. More likely to fall for short-term dopamine hits instead of long-term rewards. More likely to choose comfort over growth.

And society is aware of this.

So what do they do?

They sell you lifestyles that keep you broke.

They flood your feed with "soft life" influencers. They make you addicted to mindless entertainment. They convince you that wealth and success happen overnight, so you don’t bother putting in the years of work required to build something meaningful.

Then, by the time your rational brain fully develops, you’re already at the bottom of the economic food chain, while those who started early are now your bosses.

And you, my friend, are left scrambling.

The Illusion of Freedom

Let me tell you a story about how they make you love your own chains.

In the 18th century, slave traders figured out a new way to control their slaves.

Instead of forcing them to stay on the plantations, they allowed them to go into the city to "work for themselves"—but with a catch.

Every week, the slaves had to return to the plantation and pay a fee for their freedom.

At first, they resisted. But over time, they got used to the idea.

They started seeing themselves as "free men," even though they were still giving most of their earnings to their masters.

And soon, they stopped running away.

Do you see the game?

They make you believe you are free while ensuring that you never actually have options.

Poverty is no longer just about living in the slums. It is now about being trapped in a cycle where you never truly get ahead.

It’s about waking up at 30 and realizing that you have no real assets, no valuable skills, no powerful networks, and no leverage.

It’s about working 10-hour shifts, only to spend your salary on temporary pleasures that keep you coming back for more.

It’s about seeing the good life happening in front of you but never being able to touch it.

The Race You Didn’t Know You Were Running

Now, let me ask you something.

Why is it that a 50-year-old Nigerian man will brag about the same things a 22-year-old in a first-world country considers basic?

A passport.

A car.

A small business.

In developed nations, young people build companies, launch careers, and create generational wealth while Nigerians in their 30s are still arguing about who should pay on a first date.

Why?

Because while they were learning how to build, you were learning how to argue.

While they were investing, you were flexing for strangers on Instagram.

While they were sharpening their skills, you were reciting "God no go shame us" like a national anthem.

And by the time reality hits, the only thing you have to show for your youth is a collection of Uber receipts and bad financial decisions.

The Final Warning

There are 30-year-old Nigerians reading this right now who have never left the country, have no global perspective, and see nothing wrong with that.

If I tell them to get a passport, their inner demons will rise up to fight me.

Why?

Because poverty is not just a condition—it is an institution.

And this institution has a Ministry of (Dis)Information and a Directorate of MisDirection.

They will keep you arguing about distractions while the real players take all the opportunities.

They will convince you that "money is not everything" while making sure their own children inherit millions.

They will tell you that “hard work doesn’t pay” while sending their kids to Ivy League schools and elite business networks.

And before you know it, you are 35, broke, frustrated, and wondering where the time went.

How to Break Free

There is good news.

You can still change the script.

The first step is **awareness**. You must wake up to the fact that you have been lied to.

The second step is **urgency**. Stop postponing your success. Every day wasted is a day you never get back.

The third step is **strategy**. Find mentors, learn valuable skills, build real assets, and start competing in the global economy.

Because the truth is simple: **Nobody is coming to save you.**

Not the government.

Not your boss.

Not motivational speakers.

Only you.

And if you refuse to take control of your life now, don’t be surprised when you find yourself, years from now, saying the same words we’ve all heard before:

“I wish I had known this in my 20s.”

Now, go and do something with this information.

And while you’re at it, go and read *Outwitting the Devil* by Napoleon Hill.

Because the battle you’re fighting is not just in the physical—it’s a war for your mind.

Let the real work begin.

— Omasanjuwa Ogharandukun