Nigerian politics and entertainment do not exist on parallels. They have a lot in common, and in this great country we have a tradition of entertainers showing unreserved support for politicians. Here are many reasons why this happens.
We have a very weird country.
A nation of very thin lines which differentiate various things, thoughts, ideals and professions. Many of the components of our country are interlinked, sometimes to great benefit, but for the most part, it’s detrimental.
Nigerian politics and entertainment do not exist on parallels. They have a lot in common. Both are service-based professions, designed to get money off the populace, heavily reliant on influence, charisma and intrigue, and most importantly, they lead the people on with deceit, vanity and an endless string of blatant self-serving lies.
With so much in common, it’s little wonder when key adherents to both sides of the divide join forces to a greater end, to make their cases more water-tight and influential. When smooth corrupt politicians and monry-needing artistes come together to create a campaign, the result is one huge spectacle of influential vanity and monstrosity.
For all their talk about being credible and possessing a huge responsibility to their fans and followers, Nigerian celebrities are joined by the hip to politicians. The bond is eternal because it is forged by the strongest of glue – the need for money. Politicians have money to spend, celebrities need money to acquire and spend. When the cash exchange hands, then services would be bought, and alliances formed. That is a way of life.
It doesn’t matter whether the politician who needs support is of questionable character. Money knows no enemy. It is all-embracing. Even if the man in running for some elective position of influence has a public casket of skeletons, with the right money he can find a celebrity with vast influence to sing his good acts. With increase in money, comes an increase in praises.
One might even get to think the shady politician was wrongfully robbed of deserved sainthood.
For the artistes, it’s good business. A Nigerian singer, actor, writer, comedian or presenter exists to take money. If a politician has money to release for a service that goes against reason and logic, his corrupt past miraculously becomes immaterial to the scheme of things.
That’s why we have all our stars show support for politicians that receive the most anger from the citizenry. They are not insensitive to the voices from the streets, they know. But they need the money, and it’s not their business what some random person from the street feels. They are not in the business to share grievances. They are capitalists, and profit-making is the aim of their game.
In an ideal world, our role models should stand for good and not corruption. They are supposed to believe in the goodness in men, and choose the upright utilitarian way. But Nigeria is not an ideal country, not a lot should be expected.
Let’s have this at the base of our thinking when we see the stars and corrupt politicians frolicking on stage. One party needs the vote. The other just wants a bank alert.
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