By Fr Augustine Ikenna Anwuchie
Emmanuel Gegeh Obstruste, the creator of Gegeh University—also called the University of Wisdom and Understanding—has stirred controversy with his online lectures that have quickly attracted over 25,000 male followers.
His mission, he claims, is to liberate men from transactional relationships and “sex-for-money” culture, while teaching Nigerian men how to be prudent and wise in matters of finance and relationships through tweets and online video courses. His teachings, delivered in brutal threads and reels, resonate strongly with young Nigerian men who feel they have finally found answers to the constant complaints of manipulation, monetization, and exploitation of love by women at the expense of men.
Much like the Stingy Men Association campaign that trended online a few years ago—championed by celebrities like Don Jazzy—Gegeh University has won the loyalty of Nigerian men who believe it shields them from so-called “gold diggers” who have left many men wounded in matters of love.
But why has Gegeh University struck such a deep chord in the minds of Nigerian youths?
In a culture where relationships have become highly transactional, everything seems to carry a price tag. Returning to Nigeria after being away for almost four years, I was frozen in shock at how much trust, selflessness, and commitment had deteriorated. Everyone now seems obsessed with harvesting what the moment can yield, with little thought for how it affects others.
This exploitative spirit is not limited to relationships; it festers in politics, business, social life, and even within the Church. It is a spirit devoid of compassion—capricious, like a chalice that glitters from afar but holds only bitterness when tasted.
Having watched the collapse of marriages, toxic relationships, broken hearts, and divorces—often fueled by selfishness and transactional expectations—young Nigerians now flock to online platforms that promise to “teach men lessons.” These include Stoic-themed channels about manipulation, “Brutal Threads,” and now Gegeh University.
This is the age where being a “stoic man” or “high-value man” is considered more important than finding true love, responsibility, and commitment.
But who is truly to blame for this battlefield between men and women?
It is the erosion of values that has left men as boys and women as babies. Nigerian men often accuse women of greed, selfishness, and weaponizing love and sex. Yet, Generation Z men are no better. Many are spoilt, weak, and obsessed with chasing nudity instead of chasing purpose.
For example, when the video of Miss Emmason and the Akwa Ibom airline incident went viral, the reaction from young men was shameful. Rather than focusing on the civil failures that led to such disgrace, most were more interested in describing the lady’s body. This shows how misplaced the priorities of young men have become.
Like their female counterparts, many Nigerian men today are poorly raised. They are either simps who waste their time investing in women instead of their goals, or they spread the odium of sexism by creating prejudices and barriers against women.
Students of Gegeh University, in particular, often lack responsibility, emotional intelligence, and maturity. A responsible man is not measured by dominance, or by drinking from endless online lectures about women, but by his character and how he relates with others.
A real man does not wake up each day scheming how to outsmart women. Instead, he wakes up determined to add value—to himself, to others, and to society. A high-value man is defined by accountability, discipline, integrity, and respect.
True masculinity is forged not in trivial battles with women but in the vision to see possibilities, make sound decisions, lead others with empathy, and set examples through deeds. Women are unlikely to be attracted to a “graduate” of Gegeh University—armed with nothing but certificates of suspicion, prejudice, and bitterness. They are drawn instead to men who combine strength with wisdom, passion with humility, and authority with service.
The man who truly commands respect is the one who has mastered himself, pursued his goals, and remained committed to growth. Rather than wasting time memorizing brutal threads and reels, men would do better to invest their energy in skills like artificial intelligence, cloud computing, data analysis, project management, or digital marketing. Even learning domestic trades like plumbing, masonry, car repair, or electrical work would transform their prospects far more.
At the end of the day, the men who attract the most valuable, committed women are those who add value to themselves. Women naturally follow men who have a clear vision of where they are going—not those who waste their lives studying how to manipulate or “handle” women.