The Too Many Lies And Fake Lives Being Lived On Social Media: My Experience"

Yes, so many people will agree that the greatest liars are Nigeria politicians. But guess what? I have come to discover that the greatest lairs are found on social media. 90% of the reality we believe we see on social media are all lies. Even politicians are using the social media to lie to us. And many of us believe the lies.

I am writing this to air my views because am a young man of this generation. This is a generation of internet, and it involves social media. So any one born in this generation must surely encounter it.

People are now using social media to confuse and convince people about a good life they are living, whereas it’s just fake. To those who believe everything they see on social media are true! Now read this. Majority of our friends who flaunt cars, houses and so many accessories and luxuries just to portray a good life. Most of them are just fake. As a young man, looking at all those things puts pressure on us, thinking that our mates we started life together are ahead of us. It brings out negative competition in us. By the way, “who are we competing with?”

Some of the good things people portray on social media are not what it seem they are in reality. People won’t tell you what they are sufferings on social media. They will only give us the fake good life, making us wonder if we are created by the same God, who gives good things to them and allow us to surfer. But if you are smart enough, you don’t follow them. You don’t put pressure on yourself because you are not living your dreams.

Everything in life takes a process. I didn’t say you shouldn’t rejoice with friends when they get new cars or any positive testimony on social media. But that shouldn’t put pressure on you, or make you feel you are not doing well in life. Because some of them are just make-believe to look as if they are progressing.
Few months ago a friend of mine was currently uploading, updating and changing profile photos on Facebook. She floods her timeline with pictures and write-ups of her in the sophisticated office. Then comments was pouring in on her page. She would upload a photo of her in suit with a macbook on the table, then with caption, “work today was great. I and my team completed the task” Then come and see comments like,
“boss chick you too much.”
“Abeg connect me”.

At a time I became sad in my spirit. This na the girl wey we finish for the same department ooo. She go come upload picture wey she dey inside one big car. Comments go come they flow. People go dey congratulate her, “congrats on your new car.” Or na her picture wey she dey infront of one big mansion. Na there I come begin pity myself. I was so angry in my spirit because I was just an ordinary school teacher receiving N10,000 while this lady has a new car, house and many things. I no dey jealous oo but I was pained that Baba God was yet to pick my call.

Na so I humble myself send her message. Before she even reply me sef. It took her one week, as if she no know me again. We chatted for about a week and I begged her to help me, link me with a job. Na so she say make I send my CV. Na so I send give her. Since that day she no dey dey respond to my messages or calls. But she go dey post pictures of her on different locations for office. Na so I gather myself come move on with my life.
Day after day I go on social media and see guys we graduated together in university giving positive testimonies. Some new cars, houses, accessories and different stuff. So dem take picture for abroad, some marriages. And I began wondering why God has just abandoned me like that. day and night i keep on praying to get a green light. Motivation to teach my students was low. I began having negative thoughts.
“I wished I had done Yahoo yahoo”
“I wished I have listened to my friend who wanted to help me go to Malaysia.”

All that put pressure on me that I was applying for so many jobs without thinking if they were genuine or not. I just wanted to make it and start posting my own photos online about me being in my big, fine office. I just want to have that extravagant wedding and post photos on social media that I have arrived. I want to buy the latest cars and give my followers the photos to see. I just want people to see my own positive progress.

The pressures were too much that I became a victim of scam job appointment, that I travelled all the way to Abuja from Lagos overnight for a supposed job interview. I slept in the pack for two days with the last card I had. Only for me to discover it was GNLD. Gush I wanted to cause myself. i didn’t take my bath the 2 days I spent there. I had to beg for money before good Samaritans gave me which I used for transport back to Lagos.

I ventured into Ponzi schemes. My first time into it was when they froze the accounts. I lost money. I was just desperate to be like my mates on social media. I didn’t want to appreciate myself the way I am. The fact that I have not made it, that those not mean am late.
Early January this year 2017, I was called by a friend that a company needs the services of a computer Engineer to fix some of their computer systems. Na so I go oo. My paddy carry me go there. The company was so huge that I was imagining working there. I saw my female friend who has been posting pictures of her on Facebook. I saw her in the company. I tried being friendly and greeted her. You need to see the way she snubbed me. She did as if she doesn’t know me. Chaiii, e just be like make ground open swallow me that moment. Because she did it in the presence of some workers. E just be like say I wan toast her. Na wetin people go dey think. Shame come dey catch me. Na so one of the staff carry me go were their computer wey dey malfunction.
After I finished working on the computers, one of the staff asked me to please help them install some few apps and Iroko Tv in one of their boss’s office. He asked me to get some things from the offline agent at the Iroko boot close to their building. And I actually saw the Iroko boot not too far from the building. One of the staff followed me to the boot. When I got there I met this my female friend there. She was shocked. Na so she carry face put for ground. Me sef come dey wonder. The staff that took there was explaining to her and talking about Iroko subscriptions. It was all obvious she is the offline agent there. Me wey dey think say na big office she dey work. I no know say na Iroko offline agent for boot she be. She go come dey upload photos wey she dey inside big office. So na that big company she dey go snap.
When we left there, I was asking the staff if the Iroko boot which my female friend was working in was affiliated to their company. Na so the guy sy “no ooo.” Say the company just dey patronize the Iroko and the girl dey sometimes come inside the company come help set some few things up about Iroko.

So you see, social media and lies. Even some of our celebrities dey lie. Uploading fake pictures and testimonies. Some of the things we see on social media are not what they are in reality. The most beautiful ladies are on social media. When you see them in real life they are not much cute but after filters and so many applications being worked on their photos, they come out so beautiful that the most beautiful angel in heaven will be wondering