The producers behind the movie Turning Red at Disney and Pixar Studios might have a different thing they wished to emphasize in the colourful movie, while showing us different instances when people ‘turned red,’ but some of those moments in which people ‘turned red,’ easily align with the general interpretation given to the slang “Eye don dey red’ in Nigeria.

In Nigeria, when people say ‘Eye don dey red’ or ‘Eye dey red’ it means that people are ‘angry, upset or unhappy.’ This interesting alignment of meanings and the need for stimulating healthy conversations about the current Nigerian condition as the nation gears for another round of elections, is what necessitated this intervention today. Everywhere one turns, there is one talk or another that Nigeria must get it right this time. Getting it right means getting leaders that will truly and honestly take the vast majority of Nigerians to a better place with real governance. The general idea is that people have never been as angry, upset and unhappy as they currently are.

Using Mei, Miriam, Priya and Abby as metaphors for Nigerian youth considering the strategic role, they played in holding it together when things turned red, we would now highlight some of the elements that will be crucial as Nigerian youths become more intentional about truly changing the current condition of the country.