2Baba, Annie, Social Media Police and the Rest of Us

Obinna Chima

They are on all social media platforms. They have a knack for leaving comments on everything posted on social media. They move from Facebook to Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), TikTok and other social media platforms you can think of. They have an idea of everything. From marriage, politics, governance, public policy, religion, entertainment, and any other issue you can think of, they are experts. They are the social media police.

Today, they are marriage specialists and they have already taken a position on the 2Baba (Innocent Idibia) and Annie’s wedding saga. While some of them have used all manner of unprintable words against the ‘African Queen’ crooner “most of them to destroy him,” those we refer to as social media in-laws are rendering emotional support to Annie Idibia and are already calling Edo State lawmaker, Natasha Osawaru “Ole” for stealing 2Baba’s heart. These “people are acting like them know it all.” Hmmm, some have even vowed that 2Baba will not be allowed to go scot-free.

With users acting as judge, jury and executioner, social media sites like Facebook, Instagram, and X have gradually transformed into virtual courts where comments vary from sincere expressions of concern to blatant denunciation and unsolicited counsel.

Social media police who are individuals that often resort to moral grandstanding and personal attacks have vast knowledge of anything and everything that trends and their comments must count.

They have already expressed their opinion on the ongoing feud between Nedu (Chinedu Ani) and VDM (Martins Otse) following the outcome of the latest episode of The Honest Bunch podcast, while also sparing some time to give the former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai free tutorials on governance and party loyalty and in equal measure bashing him on social media platforms due to his recent comments. El-Rufai’s supporters on the other hand have continued to cheer him up.

The other day, these set of persons were chanting “fight, fight, fight” when Paschal Okechukwu, popularly known as Cubana Chief Priest and Grammy-winning artiste, Burna Boy had their clash. Even President Bola Tinubu, Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar are not left out as they are tried almost every day by these social media police.

They seem to have a private feed that no one else is aware of or a group of social media spies constantly on the lookout for the newest trends and memes. We can always rely on them to make us laugh and ponder, one post at a time, even though we might never discover the key to their commenting skills.

Clearly, while some comments on social media might be thought-provoking, entertaining, or educational, others can be irrelevant or nasty.

While public figures understand that a degree of scrutiny comes with fame, the level of vitriol and invasion of privacy often witnessed on social media is disproportionate and at times, deeply harmful. 

But have you ever pondered as to why these persons consistently show up in the comments section of almost every post that social media algorithms provide us with? Does it have a scientific basis? Guess what, though?

Studies have linked dopamine, a neurotransmitter that is essential for controlling the reward and pleasure centers of the brain to social media addiction.  According to addiction expert, Dr. Anna Lembke, with each swipe, like and tweet, our smartphones are turning us into dopamine addicts. In her book, ‘Dopamine Nation,’ Lembke points out that most social media users are now addicts.

According to her, the smartphone is now the “modern-day hypodermic needle,” as most of us can’t do without it and turn to it almost every second for quick hits, to seek attention, validation and distraction with each swipe, like and tweet.

While not taking away the benefits of monetisation, the prevalence of behavioral (as opposed to substance) addictions has increased dramatically since the year 2000. Whether it’s swiping through Facebook, Instagram, or X, every free moment is an opportunity to be stimulated, she added.

“We’re seeing a huge explosion in the numbers of people struggling with addictions,” Lembke added.

Lembke strongly believes that one can beat digital addiction by embracing a more monastic mindset. Additionally, limiting the time one spends on social media can significantly reduce its addictive nature. Set specific time slots to check your accounts and avoid using social media outside the fixed times can also be very helpful.

Now back to the 2Baba marriage saga, the singer in his latest video on the matter assured his supporters that, “everybody is going to be alright and everyone is fine, there is no fight or quarrel.”

While I do not support divorce and it is never an easy decision for those involved, in a situation whereby a relationship has become toxic and irredeemable, it can act as a transforming catalyst, giving individuals an opportunity to reclaim their sense of self-worth and emotional well-being and also the chance to embark on a new chapter of life. The result of staying in an unhappy marriage is that if one is not happy in marriage, he or she will not be able to put anything constructive in the marriage or relationship, and it will only get worse.

Divorce may free both parties from emotional turmoil that a terrible marriage is known for and may enable them put their mental health first and establish a more wholesome atmosphere for happiness and personal development.

Ultimately, while public interest is understandable, those lamenting must understand that celebrities who unfortunately have become the prime influencers and role models to a lot of them are human beings, are not perfect and are often in need of psychological support.

Finally, as 2Baba sang, those that want to criticise him should “talk small small because you no holy pass my brother…you no holy pass my sister.”