Chapter 4: Forum Fire

No smile for my face, I close video.

My face just strong like stone. For Naija, once wahala big, better bone.

Roommate send another message:

Oge no dey tire. If gist dey, na she first carry am come.

“Morayo, you really curse Halima?”

I frown: “Who be Halima? She be streamer?”

No time for long talk. I just ask straight, as e dey pain me.

Roommate: “You no sabi Halima? She be second female lead for that popular epic show. Yesterday the show ratings burst ten thousand. She promise her fans say she go stream play game, even carry the male second lead join. She dey do stream drama, na so this one happen. I no expect say na you curse her. You get mind sha.”

Oge dey talk like say na sin I commit. For Naija, if you touch celeb, people go look you like criminal.

I quiet small: “So everybody now dey blame me? Nobody check wetin really happen?”

My voice low. For my mind, I dey reason say Naija people too quick judge.

“Even if dem check nko? Halima get over ten million fans. She dey always form innocent. Who go believe say na she start am?”

For Nigeria, celeb matter na case. Everybody go support the person wey get fans, no matter wetin happen.

Roommate just tire: “Omo, na bad luck catch you.”

I just hiss. For Naija, if bad luck jam you, na only prayer fit save you.

So if I ignore am, e go fade.

I try reason am, but I know say wahala like this no dey ever fade for this country.

But as I reach hostel after class, wan do assignment, my laptop begin blow up with messages.

As I just plug my laptop, notification begin show like say I win jackpot. I just dey shake head.

“Idiot, go die.”

“Who you be wey you go insult our Baby H?”

“You think say everybody go tolerate your rubbish?”

“Apologize to our Baby H now or we go expose you.”

For my phone, insults dey drop back to back. Some people even dey record voice notes just to curse me.

Insult full everywhere like dirty water.

Na so e dey be for Nigeria social media. One day you fit be hero, next day, na villain.

I just scan some, my frown dey deep.

As I dey scroll, my chest dey heavy. E dey pain me, but I no fit show am. For Naija, make dem no see say you weak.

Her fans no just dey curse me for Twitter and TikTok—dem dey threaten to expose my details join.

Omo, this one pass play. Once people threaten to expose your detail, wahala don big.

E don dey affect my life.

I just dey ask myself, “Which kind wahala be this? For Naija, all this cyberbully dey too much.”

So I open Twitter, type post, send am:

I gather myself, make my words strong. I fit no win, but I no go let dem bully me anyhow.

“I no go apologize. Halima na public figure, e suppose mind her mouth and action. Na she start for game, after I comot, she drag me enter custom room come dey disgrace me. E make sense say I curse her. If we dey talk who wrong pass, na she. Plus, she push her fans make dem attack me, e dey disturb my life well. I hope she talk true and act well.”

For Naija, you gats talk your mind. Make dem know say you sef dey reason.