Since the advent of social media, celebrities rather than use the platform to promote noble cause and ideas have instead pounced on the opportunity to cheaply show off their wealth to the world.
These days it is nothing new to see celebrities flaunting images of their latest expensive acquisitions or shots of their lavish lifestyles on twitter or Instagram.
While some even take this obsession to as far as posting photographs of them popping expensive wines in private jets, others simply maintain the tempo by flaunting wads of cash and even bizarre collections like guns.
But as much as this needless display of wealth and affluence thrills some fans, others find it highly irritating, describing it as madness.
A fan who could not hide his anger over Davido’s recent picture where he was seen holding bundles of dollar bills, revealed his feeling on twitter.
“I love Davido but this attitude is so childish, so ‘wack’. 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 classic. Have people you look up to both in character and dress sense.”
But even in the face of these rash criticisms, many Nigerian celebrities seem to care less. They continue to splash their wealth all over the place.
Davido once told Saturday Beats that anybody who didn’t like what he was doing should quit following him on social media.
“I don’t call it flaunting of wealth. It is my car, my money and it is even my page. You don’t have to follow me on my Instagram. You don’t have to follow me on the social media. It would have been different if I was advertising all this on a billboard. I am not doing that,” he had said.
For Limpopo crooner, Kcee, who is well known to indulge in the act, flaunting wealth is another way of allowing his fans into his privacy. He told Saturday Beats that it was nothing strange.
Kcee
“I just like to express myself and that is why I flaunt what I have on social media. Even American celebrities do the same. If they buy new things or they are going anywhere, they put it on the social media. It is just a way of keeping the die-hard fans and real followers informed of what you are doing. It is not a problem neither is it an issue but for those criticising. I feel it is normal.
“No matter who you are on earth even if you are a pastor, people would criticise you. Even Christ was criticised, so who am I? I don’t care about what they say, all I care about is what I am doing which is my music. As far as I am doing my music well and it is still putting food on my table, I don’t care. What I do is to learn from what my fans say especially if I feel I am doing something wrong and they caution me,” he said.
Even with constant bashings, Kcee has not stopped showing off what he’s got. He is not likely to stop anytime soon.
Wizkid, one of Nigeria’s truly amazing talents, is known for dishing out good music. But beyond that, the young entertainer also spends quality time posting pictures of his wealth and accessories on the social media. He told Saturday Beats recently that it was no crime and that he was only doing that to motivate the younger ones.
“I did not use to have gold chains and wrist watches, I worked hard to get them. From where I am coming from, if I have these things I have to show people, motivate them. When I started out, I was wearing a digital wristwatch; I did not have any gold chain. So, when I post these pictures, I am simply thanking God and motivating people that they can taste success like I have too,” he said.
But for legendary singer, Tuface fondly known as Tubaba, displaying wealth on social media is not an interesting past time. Tuface is one of the richest musicians in Africa and in fact in the world. He told Saturday Beats that he would rather buy a piece of land than buy a gold chain. He has nothing against those who indulge in such acts, though.
“It is a matter of choice and they do so for different reasons. Some people have it but they don’t care so they flaunt it. Some people do it so that others would think they have it and they probably feel insecure thinking that people would not respect them if they don’t have it. Some people probably do so to invite robbers to their house. So it is a matter of choice.
“I don’t do such because I believe whatever I am would speak for itself. I would not fake anything or flaunt anything; I don’t have anything to prove. If I have it I do and if I don’t, I don’t,” Tubaba said.
Veteran musician, Zaki Azzay, said flaunting wealth was part of show business. He insisted that the practice in fact could sometimes boost an artiste’s profile and bring in fatter paychecks.
“Showbiz is show business. The most important part of show business is to show off. If you are not showing off then there is no business for you. You have to show off in order to make business for yourself. Posting pictures of their expensive wristwatches, cars or houses is exactly what artistes should do. They have to hype themselves because no one would give them any attention if they are seen in a tattered old car.
“The truth is that when you want to perform in an event, people use that to assess you. If you don’t flaunt those things they would be paying you N250,000 per show. For instance, no one can pick his phone to call me if he does not have a minimum of N3m and that is because of all my packaging and that is what show business is all about. They are doing the right thing if you ask me,” he said.
Musician turned actor, Sunny Nneji, also finds nothing wrong in entertainers showing off expensive personal valuables. As far as he is concerned, it is not illegal.
“As far as this issue is concerned, I believe that every individual has the right to do what they want. It is their right and I cannot insist for them to be like me. We are all created differently, we react to things differently, we appreciate things differently, we walk differently and so long as what they are doing is not against the law then it is fine by me.
“I have decided to be a simple man because that is what I have chosen to do, that is how I have chosen to live my life, it is me and everybody does not need to be like me. I respect everyone else’s philosophy of life,” he said.
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