Babajide Awoyinfa: Should Celebrities Flaunt their Wealth on Social Media?

In spite of the controversies associated with its output, social media has continued to be the veritable platform of choice for celebrities to air their views.

Due to the burgeoning nature of the Nigerian entertainment industry, many celebrities now have the financial capacity to acquire state-of the-art vehicles, homes, embark on trips to exotic places, and all these are usually uploaded on social media.

Social media has become the platform of choice for the nation’s celebrities to exhibit their wealth on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc.

Internet users, who regularly surf through the pages of social media platforms and blogs, get to see the way celebrities flaunt their new found wealth, which gives them the false impression of how celebrities should conduct themselves.

The phenomenon has gone from the ordinary to the bizarre, where some of the celebrities display wads of cash, or even upload bathing shots taken in their Jacuzzis on social media.

The recurrence of the trend has not only attracted fans of these celebrities to the different websites, but it has also highlighted the potency of social media.

Adelaja Temitope, a member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), revealed that she regularly browsed through the social media networks for celebrity gossip, and saw nothing wrong with celebrities flaunting their material possessions and wealth.

“It makes social media very interesting and it inspires young positive-minded individuals. It does not have to be all about hate and beef.

“People are getting obsessed over the luxury of celebrities; they want to be like them thereby doing lots of crazy stuff.

“Celebrities should live their life to the fullest, do the unimaginable, do crazy stuffs like once in a while and don’t try to be perfect.

“Don’t forget, we are still going to die one day and what are you going to be remembered for?

“Please celebs keep on showing off. It makes the world go round,’’ she said.

On the other hand, Paul Okorie, a businessman, was of the view that celebrities should be moderate in their activities on social media.

“The way celebs oppress on social media is not necessary at times.

“They create a wrong impression about themselves, and when people go to them for help and get disappointed, they see them as stingy.

“Everybody has a right to spend his/her money, especially when they worked hard for it. I don’t think it is anybody’s business but the truth should be told.

“Why would they go all out to impress their fans on such media?’’

Okorie made reference to an instance when Davido posted a picture on social media, in which he was holding bundles of dollar bills.

“I love Davido but this attitude is so childish, so weird. Please Davido, grow up; you must not copy trash from people below your status.

“You need to set standards for your ever-growing status. Talk and behave classy. Have people you look up to both in character and dress sense.”

A renowned movie producer and critic, Charles Novia, also delved into the development on his blog which he titled “Flaunting it, Faking it’’.

He expressed his anger at the trend and added that those that are disposed to such goings-on are doing so from the wrong premise, especially over the fact that their movies could not make them as wealthy as they were portraying themselves to be.

“Those musicians and actors who engage in such frivolities and deluding themselves on social media with this flaunting fad are not being true to themselves.

“The entertainment industry is a coterie community and the statistics of income are not hidden.

“You must be a day-dreamer, especially when you try to hoodwink the public that you bought a house or a diamond watch.

“Is it from the singing and prancing on stage they made the so called millions in an industry where CD sales are dropping?

“Or that you bought some house in Ikoyi just by being an unmarried actress, when we all know how much an actor is paid for a role is stretching the story a bit too far,’’ he said.

In spite of the diatribe from Novia, he agreed that that some of the celebrities might be genuinely “wealthy’’ but still had his doubts on the authenticity of the wealth they display on social media.

“Granted, these artistes might have other legitimate sources of income but such sources are negligible in turnover.

“One day, very soon, those wealthy shady barons and pimps using the artistes in the industry as cannon fodder might just move to another area of interest.

“And don’t get me wrong, how people make their money is entirely their own business.

“What I am pissed about is the deception; the whole stinking deception.

“These artistes are hoodwinking the public that they made their money through their art when there is more to it.

“Others that are not in the entertainment sector make money through these same avenues these artistes use, but they don’t come out shouting about it as such,’’ he wrote.

Speaking on the raging issue Sidney Esiri, popularly known as “Dr Sid,” notes that there is nothing wrong with celebrities flaunting their wealth on social media.

“I strongly believe there is nothing wrong with our celebrities showing off their wealth because it’s the reward of their hard work.

“I know some of you will argue that foreign celebrities show off their wealth and we are happy to associate with such, why not our own celebrities.

“This kind of culture is also acceptable here just like in the U.K. and in the U.S. but not fully acceptable in Africa.

“It’s just that, everything we do in life should be done in moderation

“When one’s hard work starts to pay off with success, one should remain humble and cautious. It’s not all clothes we dry in the sun.