I saw a Twitter post from a well-known influencer calling for a tax increase. Within that timeframe, a few influencers did the same thing; it was as if they all sat down together to create the tweet and post it to their Twitter pages.
A few days later, there was a massive increase in tax on goods and services.
A few people began to decipher the relationship between these people's tweets and why there was a hike following their tweets, and it was discovered that these guys were actually paid handsomely by the companies that raised tariffs to send out those tweets.
These companies wanted a moral justification to raise prices, and even if they had paid the government to allow them to raise tariffs, they still wanted a moral justification, so they paid a few people with millions of followers to do so.
This is an ongoing issue in a society where the concept of influence is taken seriously. In everyday Nigerian society, people worship celebrities, particularly Korean movie stars.
These guys have god-like identities, which has led to a large following both in person and on social media. This is where marketing takes it's cue from.
When a celebrity uses a product and stands in front of a camera and smiles, people automatically validate it and decide to use or buy it, and this is not because the product is good; it is because the person vetting it is either an actor or musician whom they love and admire.
Drifting away from reality
People find it difficult to distinguish between real life and movies or social media, giving some celebrities some crazy, unfair advantage.
Now these celebrity status is actually acquired by the masses. Collectively, it's a large group of people who decide who is a celebrity and who is not.
Most of the time, these validations can be seen in their social presence: the number of likes, views, engagement, and other metrics. Physically, this is determined by the number of people who will wet their pants or blush when they pass by in real life.
Or the number of people who wants to get a hug, kiss their shoes or sleep on the ground for them to walk on. The number of people willing to do these will determine how much these celebrities will charge for an appearance in a social gathering, a movie, or even an advertisement for a large corporation.
United in all
However, people are unaware of the power they wield collectively. Individuals have no power as a single entity, but when they work together, they can give or take relevance, as well as make or unmake a person.
Divided & Powerless
However, sentimental bias makes people unlikely to unite, which is why a powerful or influential single entity can suppress a large number of people.
Nigeria is one of those countries where people idolize celebrities and popular figures. Half (if not more) of people will wet their pants if a celebrity appears in front of them, and this is due to the god-like level or frame of mind in which they view or imagine these people.
Perhaps it is their beauty or their charms, and this is how these people can persuade them to do anything. This includes blindly accepting or agreeing to a tarrif hike while also justifying it.
I had the opportunity to see the governor about ten years ago, when I was in college. He was passing by, and many political goons wanted to kill themselves. In that state of mind, all I could think about was how the man could serve the people well.
I was thinking about these while walking away to where I lived. To me, he was a public servant who should be serving, and he has been elevated to the position of governor.
Conclusion
Nonetheless, people are realizing that having a position of influence can lead to the holder wanting to exploit the situation, which is unfair. Why not?
The ability to do something is itself a temptation. When a person has the authority to do something, whether it is moral or not, they will do it anyway just to see how it feels.
The ability to influence can corrupt people, this is why people with huge following in real life can do anything to cash in or take advantage of it.
It's hard to command affluence
it is difficult to persuade a large number of people to like or want to poop themselves when they see you. If it were, everyone would be famous, leaving no room for fandom.
Whether people become popular by hook or crook, they have worked hard to make people like them, and they can sometimes profit from the commercial opportunities that come with it. However, it is up to everyone to recognize that the people you value can profit from this situation.
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