If there is anything fame, real or virtual, does to people who are most often careless, to handle such pedestal, is that it makes them see themselves as ‘final authority’ or persons with unlimited freedom to expression even when their opinions are overtly puerile, jejune and infantile. May be that accounts for why Donna Rockwell describes fame as a dangerous drug. This is not far-fetched. Known celebrities whom had occupied the world stage at some point have proved, without equivocation that fame and celebrity can closely mirror substance abuse symptomology – and over time, result in actual substance abuse, isolation, mistrust, dysfunctional adaptation to fame, and then, too often, untimely death.
There are glaring examples which are equally familiar – from Judy Garland to River Phoenix and Michael Jackson to Whitney Houston.
It is an open and shut fact that fame, real or self-acclaimed, changes a person’s life forever, and it is felt more as an impact or “overnight” experience rather than a gradual transition. Donna hinted further and I could not but acquiesce with him; developmentally, the celebrity often goes through a process of first loving, then hating fame; addiction; acceptance; and then adaptation (both positive and negative) to the fame experience. Becoming a celebrity alters the person’s being-in-the-world. Once fame hits, with its growing sense of isolation, mistrust, and lack of personal privacy, the person develops a kind of character-splitting between the “celebrity self” and the “authentic self,” as a survival technique in the hyperkinetic and heady atmosphere associated with celebrity life.
In driving this home, our own Twitter Yeyebrity, Japhet J. Omojuwa who’s simply known as @omojuwa on his Twitter handle may have begun to tow the footprints of erstwhile yeyebrities whom today have lost touch with the world and are living a debilitating life, or worst still a similar life like those whom have gone to the great beyond. I am discombobulated beyond viva voce to read Omojuwa’s outbursts against the Vice President of the country, Professor. Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, GCON on the #EndSARS ‘imbroglio’.
In his senseless tirade, he had described the erudite professor of constitutional law and #2 citizen as ‘shameless’ and what could be termed as ‘despotic’.
How more could somebody who’s lettered, educated and influential on the social media be asinine, fatuous and inane. How could Omojuwa, whom, for whatever reason (s) known to him, have thrown caution into the wind and attacked a man without checking his facts?
Just like his fellow compatriot on Jack’s blogosphere, Segun Awosika mentioned on same issue of the #EndSARS impasse; ‘no matter the situation, never let your emotions overpower your intelligence.’ Clearly, Omojuwa has sadly shown either of two things – he may have outsourced his brain to Nnamdi Kanu who now replaced same with saw dust or he is high on some schizophrenic substance that led him to his catatonic exuberance.
Omojuwa has allowed his little fame on the street of Twitter to get into his skull. So, he sees himself as an authority on national issues orchestrated by his pyrrhic hailings on social media. He is quick to forget that social media popularity is a fluke! One minute you are their ‘hero’, the next minute, you become their adversary.
Now that Omojuwa has thrown civility to the trash can atypical of a child with no proper upbringing, a child the Yorùbás will address as an ‘omo àlè’; it needs be sounded into his, now, empty skull the steps taken in record time by the geek professor and a responsible father on the issue at hand even before it snowballed into the avoidable wanton destruction and arson witnessed in recent time. However, let it be on record that Japhet J. Omojuwa remains one of the destructive Nigerians who further fuelled the needless mayhem with their bogus, sensational and unfounded news. And posterity is forever there to judge every one of them who amplified the carnage.
For record purposes, the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo had before then taken major and crucial steps which included but not limited to the following:
- On October 4, 2020, the Vice President expresses his frustration and anger towards the officers of the (now) disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Service (SARS) over their shenanigans against the common man on the streets, especially the youth with a promise for reform. He did not stop there. He would go on to meet with the Inspector General of Police, Muhammad Adamu after which initial ban of the SARS unit was announced.
- On October 9, 2020, on this day, the Vice President again met with the IG of Police, the Director-General of the Directorate of State Services (DSS) and the Executive Secretary, National Human Right Commission to review the steps taken so far to address squarely the menace of SARS condescending excesses. Same day the Vee Pee would brief the Commander-in-Chief on his earlier meetings with the IG of Police and other relevant government agencies with assurance on complete and total reform of the entire police paraphernalia.
- October 11, 2020 saw the official disbandment of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) unit by the IG of Police while ordering all Federal SARS officers to report at the Force Headquarters for debriefing, psychological and medical examination, which in any case it is the standard obtainable in any part of the world. The Vice President made a statement assuring the Nigerian populace that the force must be accountable to the people it swore to protect. He did not stop there, but also promised justice in all violation instances stating without equivocation the right of all Nigerians to peaceful protests.
- On October 16, 2020, four (4) days before the unfortunate #LekkiTollGate drama, the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo publicly apologized to all Nigerians on the very lugubrious and sardonic #EndSARS agitation which had then taken another dimension having being hijacked by external forces.
With the above trajectory, it is therefore gobsmacking that somebody in his bid to chase clout will throw caution to the wind and cast aspersions on the personage of the Vice President. If there is anything Omojuwa has proven, he has proven that he is either ‘àbíìkó’ from his parents, or ‘àkóìgbà’ proving a recalcitrant and disobedient child. No true born, thoroughbred Yorùbá son would do what he did on the office and the person of the Vice President especially when his adversary had made attempts at addressing whatever issue (s) he (they) felt was wrong.
Again, it is not impossible that Omojuwa was acting a script from those some keen observers have described as ‘òdàlès’ from the ruling party. Or could it be that he was deliberately being mischievous for clout sake. But then, a fool finds delight in wicked shenanigans while the sagacious relish in sapience and wittiness.
Let those close to Japhet Omojuwa remind him that fame is a double-edged sword. Not many persons can handle it with overt reality. If tampered with what is overt, then the individual is fine. But when it is allowed to get into one’s head, trouble and doom beckon.
Japhet should tow the path of honour by withdrawing his alakori tweet, publish a written public apology and look for a way to physically apologize by prostrating flat on his tiny belly and face to ask for the forgiveness of the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo for attacking him wrongly, otherwise, posterity will judge and prove him as an ‘omo àlè’. Tueeehhh!
Adebowale Ogunfuye, Esq, MA, BL, FCI Arb (UK), FCTI
