Recently, I woke up to an apology video by Warri Pikin. She apologised to her fans and her husband over a controversial stage performance she had with dancehall singer Timaya. I didn't bother to watch the video that caused the ruckus. Yesterday, I was stunned to see an emboldened Warri Pikin saying her apology was for show and that she doesn't care about people's views. Her audacity annoyed me. In my head, I was like, "Why don't you let sleeping dogs lie?"
Social media star, Geh Geh, fired a ruthless rebuttal at her on Sunday evening in a video that was capable of putting ideas into her husband's head. As I listened to the video, my wife was furious. Women don't really like Geh Geh because they feel he is against them. To an extent, Geh Geh made so much sense.
I was forced to go and search for the controversial video of Timaya and Warri Pikin. On watching the video, my stance changed like a Nigerian activist who has been bribed. I didn't see any big deal.
The performance was respectful. I think both parties were lost in the moment. The crowd was cheering, and Warri Pikin wanted to finish on a high note. I didn't really see any grabbing of the derrière, as people painted it on social media. Timaya held her and lowered her down respectfully. He also apologised to her afterwards, and it was so funny. The crowd felt entertained. Timaya must love the response he got from the audience.
Since then, social media users have been heaping attacks on her and her husband. I feel bad for her. I feel she is only paying the price for fame. If she were not Warri Pikin, a comedian with huge popularity, no one would have cared. People would have enjoyed the entertainment value and moved on.
But because she is established, people are throwing stones and sticks at her like a mango tree with ripe fruit. There are hundreds of similar videos online, and no one has batted an eyelid. Did the women in those videos fall from the sky? No!
The video footage reminds me of when my senior Oyinbo colleague jumped into my arms at work after we survived a major incident that could have put the establishment in the newspapers.
She was a well-respected and boundary-conscious woman who was married with kids. Very intelligent, proactive and hands-on. She remains one of the best professionals I have ever worked with.
On this occasion, an incident left her panicking. I was shocked to see her running across the communal areas with a radio, shouting for help. She was out of ideas. I summoned courage and told myself, "Not today," and I confronted the situation with a Nigerian colleague.
Someone was slowly losing breath. All of a sudden, the person was revived. She couldn't believe her eyes. She looked up and screamed like a player who had just scored a last-minute goal in a Champions League final.
I got up, opened my arms to her, and she jumped in and held me tightly. On a normal day, I wouldn't even shake hands with her. I used to struggle to maintain eye contact with her. The hug was beyond normal, but it was just about the moment. I can't read any meaning into it.
After the incident, the relationship returned to its normal setting, but the respect increased on her part.
My concern is the position of her husband. Even if he has thick skin, the social media commentary may eventually get to him. The comments may also influence his family members and those in his inner circle. He has been indirectly disrespected.
Warri Pikin also has children who are old enough to have an understanding of the issue. It will hurt to see their mother being dragged around like a Boko Haram fighter. Even the Federal Government wouldn't treat terrorists like this; it 'rehabilitates' them.
In the absence of more stimulating and sensational content online, people are reading too much meaning into the video. Many are assuming her legs are free to be accessed by Timaya if he wants. I feel bad for her; this is the golden price of fame.
Celebrities work so hard to gather followers on social media, but in the event of a mishap or the slightest scandal, the same people they have worked so hard to keep can turn against them.
Dear Warri Pikin, if you are reading this, please stay strong and calm. This is part of the occupational hazards of fame. Stop responding to your critics, and this will blow over in a couple of weeks like it never happened.
https://www.facebook.com/thevillagetowncrier
