I came across this article on YNaija and its an eye opener!! Interesting read!! Our Celebrities are too desperate!!

EROMO EGBEJULE runs the rule through the
doctored lives of the country’s young and famous


On a quiet January day, a Medview Airlines plane
was preparing to take-off from Terminal 2 of the
Murtala Mohammed Airport, Lagos, destination,
Abuja. Passengers were seated, but the business-
class section was conspicuously empty. On
recognizing actress Eniola Badmus who was
sitting contentedly in economy class, one of the
air hostesses asked her to move over as it were,
to ‘higher ground’. Nearby, a budding actress (we
want the name na) who by a freak coincidence,
had been cast in Obi Emelonye’s Last Flight to
Abuja was watching quietly. She then politely
beckoned the hostess and asked to follow suit for
a short period to – believe it or not – take
photos there. Stunned, the airline staff agreed,
well aware that the images were going to be used
to create the illusion of an arrival in the big
league.
There are no prizes for guessing correctly where
the images will end and how they will be framed,
complete with a matching hashtag –
#FirstClassThings maybe – for the viewing
pleasure of social media users.
“It was shocking”, says Lorenzo Menakaya, also
an actor, who was aboard the same flight. “I just
took one look at her and knew there was only one
place the pictures would end up – Instagram”.
Hers could be excused as “one of those things
people do just for Instagram”, says Ade Akanni,
an industry watcher. ”People take pictures with
other people’s property, wording the caption so
carefully it conceals the fact that it isn’t theirs
and so they can claim, ‘But I never said it was
mine’. You know?”
For others there is depth in purpose. That is why
a singer, May D, in November 2013, went as far
as authorizing a statement about him acquiring a
mansion for N 150m, when in reality he had only
leased one-half of the duplex.
“Many of these people lie,” says a travel agent
who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
“Harrysong claims he was born in London but his
passport was a virgin one when it was submitted
to me two years ago. “I was on the same flight
with Omotola returning from Italy some time ago,”
he continues. “After flying in toilet-end economy
seats, she went through business-class exit when
we landed at MMIA.”
It turns out that incidents like those described are
the norm, rather than exception in an industry
where ‘packaging’ – Pidgin English parlance for
the struggle to seemingly appear better than
one’s current standing – is a way of life. It rests
on a fine line between faith that things will get
better and anxiety that they will not.
As a result, water is made to look like wine and
stone is polished to resemble bread. It is
customary – expected even – for celebrities to
strut around like landowners of Earth and live like
royalty, regardless of whether living like this is
above their means. For them and their ilk, ‘fake it
till you make it’, has graduated from being just a
street slang and evolved into a motivating
mantra.
“Artistes loan cars, clothes, money they can’t pay
back and everything else just to attend events or
to show off on social media and impress fans,”
says Fola ‘4lah’ Folayan, on-air personality at
Naija Info, Lagos, and founder of DearArtisteTM,
an artiste career development blog. Fola stresses
that modern Nigerian artistes have taken the
phrase too literally. “We have seen those things
backfire and it’s just a colossal embarrassment,”
she added.
“What we actually call packaging, is professionally
known as branding,” she explains. “Branding is an
especially powerful marketing tool for artistes
because it’s all about communicating their music
to the people they want to attract. In the process,
the artiste’s image (look, outfits, mannerisms and
language) online presence, event appearances and
more will have to be packaged to appeal to his
target audience.”
“Truth is celebs the world over fake it,” argues
popular blogger, Lateefah ‘That1960Chick’
Ayoola. “There are fake relationships created by
PR machines, fake marriages, fake drama, even
fake babies; all done by massive PR teams in an
effort to keep the public talking about their client.
It’s all about having a public image and keeping
people talking.”
In the end, so much money and effort is spent on
faking it, that inconsistencies arise and the
practitioner ends up the worse for it, having to
spend more to maintain the status quo. Those
who genuinely have the assets are of course
doubted.”
The society is to blame, says Frederick Aroro, a
regular commenter on Linda Ikeji’s blog: “Who
loves a broke, starving artiste?”
The gospel according to Linda Ikeji
Pop culture blogger and snoop-a-holic Linda Ikeji
has over the years become the Bible of Pop for
celebs and wannabes, their fans, foes and
onlookers across Nigeria. All cadres of citizens
refresh her blog by the hour for hot gist, sizzling
rumours and a progress report on the Who’s Who
in Nigeria.
“If you submit a proposal to a client for publicity
and he does not see Linda Ikeji on it as a
publicity outlet, he’ll smile and tell you: ‘I’ll get
back to you’ and never contact you again because
to him, you are not serious”, posits Seun Oluyemi,
a consultant with YNaija TV.
Accordingly, she has – and other bloggers too –
been accused of fuelling the habit of ‘packaging’
with a random post every now and then
attributing arbitrary prices to any luxury item
associated with a celebrity, for the viewing
pleasure of the gullible public.
4lah defends the tribe: “Bloggers have nothing to
do with this in my opinion; after all it’s their job
to blog. So they see photos and hear stories and
they blog as long as traffic is guaranteed”.
“Sometimes Linda Ikeji can say something is
worth this and it doesn’t mean it actually costs
that amount”, comedian and singer, Tunde Ednut
pointed out in a polemical interview on YNaija’s
talk show, Rubbin’ Minds in December 2013. He
simply reinforced the beliefs of many in the know.
Ms. Ikeji has herself been accused of inflating the
price of a 2011 Infiniti FX35 SUV which she
claimed to have bought for N8 million – and
which true to type, she blogged about.
Investigations reveal that a brand new model sells
in the range of $38,084 – $42,600 (N 6,207,681 –
N6,943,787).
This leads us to another question. Was Linda Ikeji
cheated by her car dealer? Or was she simply
practising an art she has so elevated?
Dubai chillin’
In recent years, the most populous city in the
United Arab Emirates (UAE), Dubai, has become
the new Mecca for Nigerian celebrities who desire
a vacation. Its posh hotels and classy malls
beckon to prospective customers, who have
simply given up, and keep answering its calls.
Linda seems doubly fascinated by the city –
which she has previously visited – and a number
of celebrities who have holidayed there appear
hooked as well.
In January 2014, Enugu-based actress, Chike Ike
holidayed there and the (free) coverage
accumulated enough footage to shoot a biopic on
her, complete with a sequel Nollywood-style. Ms.
Ike who inundates social media with pictures
during her trips – claiming to ‘educate them’ as
many have never been abroad – is one of Linda’s
favourites and a rumoured close friend.
The blogger also dedicated a few posts to the
‘low-key’ white wedding ceremony that superstar
2face and his beau, Anne Idibia decided to have
in the city dubbed “The City of Gold”. However,
there was little coverage on the blog – and on
most mainstream media – of the behind-the-
scenes activity of the multitude that thronged
there.
One of the guests, a former manager of an in-
demand superstar, told this reporter, “You know
how Nigerians can gatecrash. Everyone wanted to
show face, just to belong and lay claim to being
in 2baba’s inner circle or brag about being able to
sponsor themselves to Dubai for just a weekend.
Only about 200 guests were allowed into the main
venue of the wedding. If I call names of those
who were bounced, you’ll be shocked.”
A survey of trending images released from Dubai
during that period confirms some personalities
had photos taken strategically outside the
building and in the hotel lobbies and hallways
before and after the wedding, but none during the
actual gig. “They did watchman outside,”
continues our source. “2face’s people warned
some of them from Nigeria, but pride didn’t allow
them stay back. Everybody wanted to do ‘ Awon
Dubai chillin’ .”
Entertainment magazine, HipHop World,
documented the gatecrashing afterwards. “Quite a
number of people gave out their invites to friends
who were overjoyed to attend even if they didn’t
know Annie ad 2face personally. They made it
worse by coming with other friends who were
equally not invited.”
It also spotlighted the tussle to get on the luxury
boat conveying guests to a private island for the
reception, writing: “It wasn’t easy even for 2face
and Annie to get onto their own love boat. Two-
time senator, Florence Ita-Giwa, tried to get in but
she was pushed back.”
Star Wars
Perhaps the most salient reason for passing off
as being equally rich and famous stems from the
desire to keep up with the Kardashians’ Joneses.
From time to time, it is commonplace for
entertainers and their posse, to bump across
colleagues and brag about their appearance or
status and jokingly diss their comrades’. So it
becomes imperative that everyone buckle up or
pretends to, so as to prevent a repeat occurrence.
The celebrity wars also take another dimension
intermittently as a string of other celebs stoop to
indict their own; from TV personality Uti
Nwachukwu – whose relationship with newbie
Saeon is viewed with a level of suspicion reserved
for grand publicity stunts – to Port Harcourt
supremo, Duncan Mighty, seen posing with a
Phantom Rolls Royce he “borrowed” for a video
shoot.
For so long, it was assumed that pop-star duo,
PSquare were the owners of a private jet in which
they appeared to always be lounging in and
taking pictures of. Granted, they did not precisely
say –or tweet – that they owned one but, and
quite importantly, they created the illusion that
they did. Like a bolt from the blue, in that
December 2013 Rubbin’ Minds interview, Tunde
Ednut revealed that the twins did not own a
private jet. The aircraft they were seen lounging in
is, according to Ednut, the toy of multimillionaire
Togolese footballer, Emmanuel Adebayor, a good
friend of the Okoyes.
“Even almighty PSquare get intimidated too”,
sneers Akanni.
“60-70% of the things we see are majorly hype.
We know those who have and those who are just
hype”, Ednut declared with a note of finality,
ending with lyrics better than any his music
career has churned – “its show business; show
your business or fake it till you make it”.
Some arrogate their family property to themselves
too as is the case of Davido (real name, David
Adeleke) whose fleet of cars do not all belong to
him directly but to his billionaire father who owns
a car dealership. According to a family insider, the
elder Adeleke is very controlling, even locking HKN
letterhead papers in his bedroom so the label
operations are verified by him and ensuring his
boy stayed in school to eventually graduate. “He
passes off his father’s cars as his because he
can use them sometimes and ‘my papa thing na
my thing’.”
Doctoring the spin
A lot of the blame has been pushed to the door of
modern-day publicists who take advantage of the
naiveté of a public that continues to be influenced
by what they see in the media. It is publicists
who conveniently ‘leak pictures to the press, wire
money to blogs and attach pictures in mails with
subject headers using the templates: “XYZ spotted
drinking pure water on a yacht”, “XYZ spotted
with ABC: are these two dating?”
“I think it’s time PR people become professional
and learn the tools of the trade properly”, says
4lah.
Every press release announcing a rising act’s
signing to a record label reflects the usually
vague words “multi-million naira recording deal”
with “a house and a car” following not far behind.
‘Endorsement deal’ is another phrase flung about
too carelessly by brand managers even for a five-
second cameo of the subject in an ad campaign
for a product. All of this is to boost perceived
status and drive appearance fees, already hefty or
not, even higher. It is, of course working.
There are certain events, Akanni says, where a
high-profile act, say Ice Prince is low-key
headlining pro-bono or for a quarter of his usual
fee, either for the sake of friendship or to boost
his resume more (yes!), there are C-list acts who
perform at the same gig and – urged on by their
management – tweet, “Just turn up on stage; we
getting paid”.
“In kind?” he asks.
The extra mile
4lah recalls a popular act visiting her at a home a
while ago. When it was time to leave, he didn’t
have enough money to even get a cab back to the
mainland where he lived.
“I convinced him it would be a cheaper ride back
home if he just took an okada ,” she narrates. “So
I walked him to the junction and he had to use a
white face towel which he carried with him to
cover his face all through the walk to the junction
and on the bike. When I told him he looked
ridiculous, he said he had to do that because we
are on the island. This is someone who displays
‘dollars’ on Instagram and hires expensive guards
and security to attend events o!”
Arrangements also exist – Akanni swears by his
ancestors – between some celebs and companies
(not telecom) to ‘sign’ and announce
endorsement deals that pay nothing. All that
matters to them is the tag ‘brand ambassador’.
For the associated brand, free publicity is the
attraction.
Others equally go the extra mile, putting
themselves and their family honour at risk.
Five Star Music – which has so many serial PR
gaffes that it qualifies to be a bull carrying its’
own china shop around – is home to singers
KCee and Harrysong, alongside ace producer Del
B who leads a silent life. While KCee denied his
marriage to …, his wife of…years, his label-mate
last month was at the centre of a controversy
after a magazine interview in which he claimed
that his parents were siblings. When the backlash
blew over, he backtracked.
“Some artistes, even veterans go to places like
Egypt and Hungary, pushing drugs in the name of
performing. To who abeg? Places like that have
only Igbos who don’t listen to Fuji or watch
Yoruba films.” Nevertheless, tabloids celebrate
their tour and the cash flows in after any such
trip, so all stays well.
Will there be an end?
Lateefah says, “My major issue with the fake
lifestyle many celebs portray is that there are
young impressionable minds that look up to them
and believe it’s real. They believe all I have to do
is sing like XYZ and I will also be buying a
Swarovski-encrusted Bentley! I wish these fake
lifestyles came with a disclaimer but sadly they
don’t.”
These youngsters are mostly stans who will
defend their favourites till the end of time;
Nairaland and the comment sections of blogs are
enough proof. A few dissenting voices however
find time to ask questions like: Where is 2Shotz’s
Bentley; was it bought to never be driven? Is
D’banj still on G.O.O.D Music? How come every
other Nigerian celebrity is a UN Peace
ambassador?
“No matter how much we deride the “faking it”
lifestyle”, she concludes, “as long as the media
continues to report on it, we as a collective are
feedine monster and it is not going
anywhere”.
The brief enjoyment of first-class seats and
publicity rush will ultimately die down, but this
monster remains and could return to hunt these
very celebrities as the internet, unlike human
beings, is immune to amnesia. Up-comers in the
industry ought to take note.
  

We all know the truth about them when they develop kidney problem.

donmalcolm21:
We all know the truth about them when they develop kidney problem.

Lmao!! abi oo.

donmalcolm21:
We all know the truth about them when they develop kidney problem.

Madt guy...ur head is dia...but I wonder why the celebrities choose to thrive on cheap lies,they are part of d Nigerian problem,to d average Nigerian,money is an end or d means to end,get money then nothing else matters.

ogtavia:

Madt guy...ur head is dia...but I wonder why the celebrities choose to thrive on cheap lies,they are part of d Nigerian problem,to d average Nigerian,money is an end or d means to end,get money then nothing else matters.

lol

Must read!!!