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ETEMESI: Getting many likes doesn’t make you a celebrity

By PHILIP ETEMESI December 13th, 2018 2 min read

I have noticed that a couple of people on social media suffer from delusions of grandeur. What does that mean? Well, this is when people make themselves believe that they are more famous or important than they actually are.

Just because they have a few followers and they get hundreds of likes on their posts, they think they are a very big deal.

Such people expect to be spotted, appreciated and praised. They walk around town with their eyes rotating in 360 degree angles as they try to see if someone will recognize them.

Every morning, they wake up and hope they will hear some specific words during the day. Those words are “Hi! I know you.” Sadly, these words never land on their ears.

A person who posts jokes and interesting posts and constantly gets 200 likes on Facebook walks around thinking they are a celebrity.

‘SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCER’

A lady who has 5000 followers on Instagram thinks she is Selena Gomez. On her bio, you are guaranteed to find the words “social media influencer.” Really? Who are you influencing? Maybe you meant Influenza because damn, you are as annoying as the virus. Don’t force your imaginary importance down our throats.

When you meet these kinds of people at events and other social places, they expect you to be excited to see them. In fact, their feelings get hurt when no one shows some love. Picture them in the toilet crying.

Sorry to burst your bubble. You are not a big deal. You are a very small deal. In fact, you are not even a centimeter of a deal. You are a millimeter.

Recently, I met a guy and this is how he introduced himself

“Niaje, I am Denno, ule wa Facebook.”

“Huh?” I responded.

“Denno, ule wa jokes. You’ve never heard about me?” he said.

Of course I’ve never heard about you. Who do you think you are? Wizkid? Sit down and humble yourself boy.

Well. Those words formed in my mind but luckily, they didn’t escape my mouth. We would have had a bitter exchange after that. So I just said “sawa.”

‘DEAR FANS…’

I once saw a guy who normally gets an average of 50 likes on his posts making a public announcement on Facebook. He started the announcement with ‘Dear Fans…..” Ummm,, which fans? Isn’t it sad that such a person thinks he has fans?

I might press like on whatever you post just because I happen to be on Facebook the same time you are posting. It doesn’t mean I am your fan.

I am not fond of people who spend too much trying to look awesome instead of just being real and focusing on what matters. Like an artiste who will spend a lot of money and effort doing photoshoots and interviews but spend very little time making good music.

I really don’t understand why some people try so hard to be famous. To me, there are only two things that matter in this world – money and happiness. Everything else is irrelevant.

If you become famous by doing what you do well, then that’s okay. But don’t chase fame. Chase the things that matter. Let’s do away with the unnecessary hunger for fame.