In the pulsating realm of Nigerian social media, the quest for online stardom has taken a dramatic turn, with celebrities and influencers resorting to extraordinary measures to seize the digital spotlight. From outrageous stunts to carefully orchestrated controversies, the landscape is witnessing an unprecedented push for virality, leaving audiences both captivated and questioning the lengths people are willing to go to stay relevant in the hyper-competitive world of social media.
In the race for attention, influencers are pulling out all the stops. From staging elaborate public dramas to engineering controversies that border on the absurd, the strategies employed are as diverse as they are attention-grabbing. Many Nigerian influencers, once masters of engaging content, are now navigating a terrain where shock value often outweighs substance. Across multiple social media platforms, the story is the same. The result is an atmosphere of confusion, where the lines between authenticity and theatrics continue to blur as individuals craft narratives that captivate the ever-scrolling audience.
Among some of the extreme measures, the release (or leak) of sexual videos appears to be gaining ground, with many observers viewing it as a publicity stunt, or ‘clout chasing’, among celebrities. There seems to be a belief among celebrities that there’s no such thing as bad publicity.
When, for instance, the internet was set on fire after the sex video of popular Nigerian singer and songwriter, Tiwatope Omolara Savage, known professionally as Tiwa Savage, was released online in 2021, there were questions over the rationale behind adults recording themselves in moments of intimate passion and, more importantly, why such recordings should be released in a public space. The 10-second video which went viral on the internet showed the singer, fondly regarded as the queen of Afrobeats, at the height of pleasure, with her eyes and facial features betraying her emotions while still helping herself. Though Tiwa Savage had said the video was leaked by a blackmailer, the video elicited a few reactions. Many commenters on social media who were of the view that the singer may have released it herself as a publicity stunt lambasted her while others, especially celebrities, rallied around her. That controversial video still seems to be the talk of town.
Another celebrity singer and songwriter, Ikuforiji Olaitan Abdulrahman, professionally known as Oxlade, also had a similar plight. In February 2022, the sex tape of the singer who is signed to Troniq Music, Epic Records in France and Columbia Records in the UK went viral on social media. Although the singer tendered an apology to his fans, not a few people believed that the video release was simply a publicity stunt in a bid to promote his musical career as at when the incident happened.
Moyo Lawal, a Nollywood actress, had a fair share of the moment of fame (or notoriety) when her sex tape was released in September 2023, which featured her and her supposed ex-lover. Although she denied leaking the sex tape herself, there were arguments that she consented to making the sex tape as there were indications from the video that she and her supposed ex-lover were actors in the making of it. But the actress appeared unbothered by the leaked sex tape that made waves online. During the time of the incident, she was seen engaging in unrelated activities on Instagram soon after the clips were released, completely ignoring the situation. The actress even posted about her movie role, which quickly garnered thousands of comments, leading many to the conclusion that the leaked sex tape was a calculated move to promote the said movie.
Just a few months back, two young Nigerian TikTokers, Buba Girl and Molly Awele, faced a backlash from the public after their nude videos surfaced online. However, there is every indication that the experience may have boosted their online visibility.
Since popular Nollywood actor, Yul Edochie, took a second wife, many Nigerians on social media who did not approve of the actor’s second marriage have not stopped reacting. So, the attention-grabbing displays by Edochie and his second wife, Judy Austin, on various social media platforms gave these “online in-laws” things to talk about. In various videos he posted on his verified social media pages, Yul Edochie was seen having squabbles and heated verbal exchanges with his wife Judy. While those not in support of Yul’s second marriage were happy that, as they thought, the marriage was heading for the rocks, others expressed various other emotions. Some, however, were sceptical. In the end, that whole episode turned out to be nothing a publicity stunt. Even Judy Austin took to a live video on her husband’s verified page to laugh at those criticizing them and also revealed the amount of money they made from the engagement on their controversial videos.
“It was all publicity stunt and to also make a lot of money,” she said.
But the grandfather of it all is the recent fuss about the demise (or not) of Nigerian-born rapper Oladips. The indigenous rapper, whose real name is Oladipupo Olabode Olademiji, was reported to have passed away on 14 November 2023 following what his management described as an undisclosed illness. The announcement came days before the rapper was due to release his new album, “Superhero Àdúgbò (The Memoir)”. Hours before he was reported dead, a video surfaced online showing when the rapper collapsed after which he was pronounced dead.
Just two days after the rapper was pronounced dead, a Nigerian artist, Qudus Fakoya Oluwadamilare, popularly known as Qdot, took to his verified Instagram handle to announce that his friend, Oladips the rapper, “is alive and well”. This announcement caused a stir of emotions as several persons took turns to criticize the rapper for faking his death just to promote his new album.
Even though the death rumours have long been dismissed, with some reports saying that Oladips has done a live video to show that he is alive, many Nigerian social media users are still at a loss as to what to believe. For many, discerning genuine content form attention-seeking theatrics has become a daily challenge. The audience, once the arbiter of online success, now faces a barrage of sensationalism leaving them to question the authenticity of the digital narratives that unfold before them.
Amid this growing trend, some keen observers of developments in the digital space say there is a need for a reevaluation of social media practices. While the desire to trend is understandable, especially with the proliferation of social media platforms and the ensuing keen competition to grab the likes and comments that translate to dollars, they say influencers and celebrities need to also consider the potential ramifications of their actions on their personal brand, audience trust, and the overall integrity of the digital space.
