Renowned Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka has voiced concerns about technology’s role in creating a new group of illiterate individuals.
Speaking at the closing ceremony of the 3rd Intra-African Trade Fair in Cairo, Egypt, Soyinka emphasized worries about the diminishing understanding of Nigeria’s cultural norms among the tech-influenced younger generation.
While acknowledging technology’s positive impact, Soyinka highlighted the “Internet culture” as a negative force, describing it as tyrannical and abusive. He expressed how this online culture degrades genuine creativity, favoring populist and subversive content.
Soyinka raised specific concerns about the impact on education, fearing the emergence of illiterate generations detached from meaningful culture.
He emphasized the need to address these issues within Nigerian society, cautioning against trivializing the complex challenges posed by technology.
Soyinka called for vigilance against the abuse of culture facilitated by network technologies, urging a thoughtful and nuanced approach to confront and overcome this pressing challenge.
