Kiekie Condemns Critics Using Social Media for Clout

Nigerian actress and brand influencer, Oluwabukunmi Adeaga-Ilori, also known as Kiekie, has spoken out against the rising trend of destructive criticism on social media, stating that it is harming the country's creative industry. At the QEDNG Creative Powerhouse Summit in Lagos, Kiekie noted that while criticism is essential, it should be done in a constructive manner. She expressed concern over the growing number of content creators who deliberately disparage creative projects to generate engagement and earn money from social media platforms. As someone who has worked on social media for over 15 years, Kiekie acknowledged the significance of social media but warned that it has become a major challenge for creatives. 'That I end my skit with “problem” means there’s a problem. I have a lot of problems that are relatable to other Nigerians. As a creative, I think there’s a new problem building right now, and that problem is social media itself,' she said. Kiekie, who is also a professional fashion designer, urged the public to be more responsible in their criticism of creative works. She stated that such comments could reach investors and make them lose confidence in creative projects, thereby affecting the industry. 'When they come and say, “Oh, this particular project is minus 10, minus 100,” that person has said so just because the person wants some form of reaction from the social space. So that particular video or tweet could get about 10 million views, and maybe those 10 million views could get them like two thousand dollars, so they’re able to pay their rent, change their tyres and so on. But what you’re doing is you’re watering down an entire industry,' she stated. Kiekie emphasized the need for genuine and honest criticism, rather than criticism driven by the desire for clout or financial gain. 'Critique, say what you must, but be mindful of how you say it. Because what we do is to entertain doesn’t mean that it doesn’t take blood, sweat and tears from us. So before you critique that, make sure that that critique is genuine and honest, not because you want to gain some form of clout or get some numbers from it just so that you can earn from it,' she added.