Actress and filmmaker Bukunmi Oluwasina has urged social media users to end online cruelty and stop celebrating the misfortunes of public figures, especially women.
In a series of Instagram story posts, the award-winning actress condemned the culture of schadenfreude that surfaces during celebrity setbacks.
She wrote: “But what I see as very mean and uncalled for, is some of you making a mockery of someone in her lowest moment. Just because “Sebi she used to show off, sebi she was peppering us, why was she doing fake life, misleading young girls to think she is living her best life and she made a good decision.” Now, take a pause, sit down.
“Ask yourself, if you were in this person’s shoes would you not show off? The truth is, not all of us would love to live a quiet life. Some people’s way of being happy is to be able to convince others that they are happy, and subconsciously it becomes their truth.
“It’s like therapy to them. And while at it, they tend to show off every little beautiful moment. Which is very okay. So why blame public figures when they are going through something, saying “You should have done better as a role model” is it not diabolical”.
Oluwasina, recognised for her roles in films such as Ayomi and Citation, highlighted the dual impact of celebrity influence.
She noted how some youths adopt harmful habits like smoking after seeing idols glamorise them online, while others draw inspiration to build stable marriages and families by observing positive celebrity relationships.
She praised fans who choose to settle down and become responsible partners after admiring how their favorites publicly honor their spouses with gifts and affectionate displays before major releases.
Such actions, she said, are beautiful, enviable, and commendable.
“I am not going to pretend that I do not know that the way celebrities live has a strong influence on the youth of today. Especially if the celebrity is their fav. We have seen guys who started smoking because their fav always poses with weed in almost all their pictures online, in different locations, including a music studio.
“So, some young ones started smoking to show off just to feel big, or before recording too just because they feel it gives inspiration as seen. While this negative impact are been picked up by some younger ones, we also have youths who would have thought to be wasting away their time on frivolities, but choose to marry and settle down, be a good husband/wife, just cos they love how their fav show off their women online, buy expensive gift for them, dance with their wives when they are about to drop their new song. Which is so beautiful, enviable and commendable”.
At the same time, she reminded followers that online personas are selective, stating that no one shares their struggles or failures publicly, making it unfair to criticise public figures during personal crises.
“Nobody comes online to post their struggles and failures. Now let’s not forget that nobody is perfect. People would do whatever feels right to them. As it’s their lives and no one has the right to dictate to them how to live them. Some people don’t learn by words or advice, but by their own mistakes, which is okay. That’s why they say experience is the best teacher.
“Once again, celebrities are humans. Life doesn’t come with a manual, so people will always make mistakes. That’s why it’s called life. We live through those mistakes to learn new things”.
The actress challenged the tendency to idolise strangers on social media while ignoring family members at home.
She questioned why fans abandon their parents, natural role models, to follow curated Instagram lives, only to condemn those figures when they falter.
“That you left your own mother and father at home to come and be picking role models on the streets of Instagram? You mean to say nobody is worthy of emulation in your entire family, that you have to start looking up to strangers you don’t know anything about aside from what they show you, and at the end, blaming them when they make mistakes? If it were that easy to live a worthy life, why don’t y’all look up to your mum and dads?”
Oluwasina also analysed the roots of online resentment, stating that people harbor subconscious dislike when others fail to suffer as expected.
Resentment, she said, is like setting oneself on fire and waiting for others to suffocate in the smoke.
She encouraged users to engage with more constructive content, pointing out that platforms offer guidance on education, entrepreneurship, and personal growth.
“You could choose to be on another page of someone talking about how to learn new trades, how to get scholarships, how to start a small business with little money, how to rebrand your brand… etc. But when you see those posts, you scroll off, and stop at the one showing private jets, boat cruises, dollars, Bentley etc. You see that you are your own problem, and not the people you look up to? As a matter of fact, the people you look up to never even asked you to look up to them”.
In a direct appeal to women, Oluwasina asked them to stop waiting for peers to fail just to validate prior skepticism.
“Above all, please you all, Especially women, stop waiting for your fellow woman to fail or suffer. If that gives you joy, then you need to get checked. And if you can’t be anything in this world, please try to be kind. Be kind. Be kind. It won’t kill you. Be kind. Be kind. It costs nothing. Be kind. Please, be kind”, she concluded.
