Nigerian pastor fingers Peller’s influence in UTME mass failure

Nigerian clergyman, Pastor Esiri, has created debate online after openly criticizing the growing influence of social media personalities like Peller on Nigerian youths, blaming it for their declining academic performance.

Speaking during a recent church service, Pastor Esiri lamented the level of attention young people give to social media platforms, particularly those run by influencers he believes are setting bad examples.

“You know the person mentoring the young people now? It’s one guy that calls himself Peller,” he said passionately. “Young people now sit down on his page from morning till night. He is going about with a girl he’s not married to, and they are engaging in all kinds of nonsense. My society thinks it’s normal behavior.”

The pastor went on to link this obsession with social media content to poor academic outcomes, especially the recently released UTME results.

“How can they pass JAMB? They can’t pass JAMB,” he added, suggesting that the distraction caused by such online content has significantly derailed the focus and discipline needed for academic excellence.

Pastor Esiri’s comments have triggered mixed reactions across social media, with some agreeing with his take on youth distractions, while others defended Peller and questioned the blanket criticism of content creators.