A Nigerian secondary school student who went viral after claiming she taught herself Chinese by watching movies has come under intense scrutiny, with language experts and social media users accusing her of speaking gibberish rather than any recognised Chinese language.
Seventeen-year-old Ganiyat Ishola attracted widespread attention after sharing her self-taught language journey on TikTok and other social media platforms. Her story was celebrated by media outlets, including Punch Newspapers, as an example of self-directed digital learning.
She said she developed her Chinese-speaking ability without formal lessons, explaining that she started learning at the age of eight by watching Chinese films, writing down unfamiliar words phonetically and searching for their meanings.
The inspiring story was widely shared across social media, with Ganiyat saying she hopes to become a professional Chinese interpreter.
However, the viral claim has since sparked controversy after professional Chinese translators questioned the authenticity of the language heard in her videos.
Critics argued that her speech does not resemble Mandarin, Cantonese or any recognised Chinese dialect.
They also pointed to videos in which she attempted basic exercises, including counting from one to 10, claiming that several pronunciations were incorrect and failed to reflect the tonal nature of the Chinese language.
The controversy intensified after reports emerged that Ganiyat had allegedly begun organising paid Chinese language classes on social media following her viral fame.
The development fuelled further criticism, with some social media users accusing her of misleading members of the public about her level of proficiency.
Others also questioned her claim that she became fluent solely by watching movies, describing the account as exaggerated and aimed at attracting online attention.
The backlash has, however, triggered a separate debate online, with many users defending the teenager.
Supporters argued that Ganiyat should be encouraged rather than ridiculed, insisting that she is a young learner making efforts to master a difficult foreign language despite limited access to formal learning resources.
The controversy continues to divide opinion, with critics maintaining that her spoken Chinese lacks authenticity, while supporters insist the public reaction has become disproportionate towards a teenager pursuing an educational ambition.
