From support to backlash: Why celebrities should keep their political views private.

Not once or twice, celebrities have been slammed for picking a side when it comes to politics, especially when their choice is not the popular one.

The first instance is Nollywood actress Toyin Abraham, who opened up about her political choice in 2023, endorsing President Tinubu as her choice, and things have not remained the same for her. Since she attested that Tinubu told her about his plans for the nation, she has faced backlash upon backlash at every corner on these social media streets. It got so bad that in June 2024, she broke down in tears after facing backlash for doubling down on her support for Tinubu.

The recent backlash faced by Nigerian filmmaker Jade Osiberu serves as a cautionary tale about the consequences of public political commentary and the fickle nature of public opinion. The fine line between love and hate is very thin and all it takes is one thing to make the public switch up on you in the blink of an eye, and let's not forget about cancel culture.

Remember that she is a filmmaker and her entire livelihood depends on her viewership and ratings, so if she gets cancelled for her political stance, who would watch her movies? How would she feed? Getting cancelled can also lead to a decline in work opportunities and public support. It can lead to significant financial losses, impacting her income and lifestyle.

We also have Seyi Law, who had publicly supported Tinubu, who was elected President of Nigeria in the 2023 elections. This drew criticism from many people on social media, and beyond criticisms, threats!!! In May 2023, the comedian shared a highly offensive message a troll sent to his wife due to his political affiliation, threatening to kill their daughter. Threatening anyone is wrong, beyond a doubt, and the celebrity status makes it easy to hate on them.