For many, being born in a peaceful country feels like a given. For Ibukun (@ibbydadoll), an Instagram influencer and social commentator, it’s the ultimate stroke of luck — a “geographic lottery” that shapes one’s life far more than talent, effort, or lineage.
In a video posted recently to her Instagram, Ibukun drew attention to the stark inequities faced by children born in conflict zones, contrasting them with the relative safety of diasporic Africans and others living in peaceful regions.
“The greatest lottery you can win in life is the geographic lottery,” she said. “The only difference between you and Ochanya or a child in Sudan or Congo is your postcode.”
She stressed that surviving wars, famines, and systemic violence is not a matter of personal or parental merit, but rather sheer luck. Ibukun warned against the dangerous mentality of detachment: just because atrocities aren’t happening in one’s own community doesn’t mean they are irrelevant or outside our responsibility.
“Someone who lives abroad, social engagement and donating is honestly the least you can do,” she added. “None of these atrocities are isolated incidents.”
Her comments are consistent with growing conversations about global inequality, migration, and diaspora engagement, reminding those in safer regions that the privileges of birth come with moral responsibility. The idea of a “geographic lottery” presents safety, access to education, and healthcare as luck-based advantages; privileges that should not be taken for granted.
Ibukun’s message also underscores how modern individualism can obscure global awareness, suggesting that ignoring international crises is not merely apathy but part of a broader societal risk.
She called for diasporic communities to engage meaningfully, whether through advocacy, donations, or social mobilization.
This perspective is increasingly influential among younger audiences, especially on platforms like Instagram, where social impact messaging intersects with everyday storytelling. For many followers, Ibukun’s reminder reframes basic human rights, such as the right to live free from war and famine, as privileges dependent on geography rather than entitlement.
“Literally, it’s a luxury to be born on land with no warfare,” she concluded. “This should be a basic human right.”
In a nutshell, what Ibukun is trying to say is this:
Being born in a peaceful country is a matter of luck, not virtue, and so people, especially Africans abroad, should recognize their privilege and care about global suffering.
Many in the comments section of her post have praised her insight and spot-on observation.
