Reality TV star Phyna has ignited a heated conversation online after pushing back against comments made by Tosin Eniolorunda, CEO of Moniepoint, regarding the Nigerian workforce.
Reacting strongly, Phyna described the claim that there is a shortage of “smart Nigerians” as not just inaccurate, but disrespectful.
According to her, the real issue is not intelligence, but a system that forces people to abandon their potential just to survive.
“The country can make you drop your intelligence just to be foolish, because that’s what gets noticed,” she said, pointing to a culture where visibility often outweighs substance.
In a moment that struck many, Phyna revealed she holds an engineering degree and performed well academically, but has had to pivot for survival.
“If the country gets better, I will dust my certificate,” she added, suggesting that many Nigerians are not where they want to be, but where the system has pushed them. She also questioned the value of the jobs being referenced, arguing that low salaries cannot match the realities of living in Nigeria.
If alternative platforms like social media can generate better income, many young people will naturally choose them over traditional employment.
Drawing comparisons with life abroad, she highlighted how better infrastructure and fair pay systems allow people to live with dignity, rather than struggle daily for basic needs.