From Peanut Seller to N14m: Nigerians Turn Mockery of Ebonyi Graduate Into Life-Changing Support

What started as online ridicule over a graduating student’s appearance has ended with Nigerians rallying around him and raising N14 million after learning about the hardship he endured to complete his university education.

Madumere Felix Nwachikerendu, popularly known on X as @Felix_the_SUG and nicknamed “the Peanut Seller”, became the subject of online mockery on August 31 after photos from his final-year project defence at Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike (AE-FUNAI), Ebonyi State, went viral. Some social media users made fun of his appearance, clothing and delayed graduation.

The narrative changed when Mercy Ninian, who said she knew Felix, explained the difficult circumstances behind his academic journey. She said the History student survived by fetching water, washing other students’ clothes, selling peanuts and other items, and at times sleeping in classrooms because he struggled to meet his financial needs.

Ninian also revealed that Felix initially could not afford his school fees after gaining admission and later failed to meet the required CGPA, leading to his withdrawal from the university. Rather than abandoning his education, she said he retook the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board examination and eventually returned to continue his studies. Her account prompted others, including a former roommate who reportedly accommodated Felix for months, to share their experiences.

Felix later addressed the viral post himself, saying his delayed graduation was not caused by laziness. He said he had been expected to graduate with his History Department classmates in 2023 but fell behind before eventually completing his studies. “You can laugh at the picture, but you don’t know the story behind it,” he wrote, insisting that he had fallen behind but refused to give up.

Public sympathy quickly turned into financial support after popular X user Wisdom Obi-Dickson, known as Sir Dickson Wizarab, called on Nigerians to support Felix and disclosed that he had personally donated N100,000. Donations surged from more than N4 million to over N5 million and later crossed N10 million as the story spread across social media.

By Thursday, Wizarab announced that the fundraising had reached N14 million, thanking Nigerians for their generosity and saying the money represented a remarkable turnaround from the circumstances that had initially brought Felix online attention. He also said @Skolex5 would help Felix with financial investment to ensure the funds were properly managed.

Felix thanked the donors and said he would later release a video to formally appreciate them. He also warned people against spreading false reports about him, particularly claims that he had been attacked, saying he was safe and that nobody had visited his home to harm him.

Reflecting on the experience, Felix said he had promised his late mother that he would never fail, engage in illegal activities or bring disgrace to the family. He urged people following his story to remain good and stay true to their values, saying: “If you don’t see the result now, you will surely see the result later.” What began with mockery over a graduation photograph has since become a story of perseverance, compassion and an unexpected show of support from Nigerians online.