How has social media impacted your career as a lawyer, writer and social critic?
My professional life as a lawyer is disconnected from social media. This is partly because professional rules frown at soliciting clients, and partly because I try to avoid diluting my social activism with pecuniary interests. However, as a writer-cum-social critic, social media has been an effective platform for my productive activities.
In deference to the Nigerian economy, my publisher sells my books at subsidised prices and through my social media following; I have been able to sell thousands of books. This feat would have been difficult through traditional media outlets. Social media amplifies my reach and gives me a direct connection to the people I want to deal with. It allows me to escape the shadow of political patronage in Nigeria’s media industry.
What part of your life would you never share on social media?
I don’t discuss my career, emotional state, social and family relationships, material or financial status, or anything else about myself. I don’t talk about my life on social media. I may mention an aspect of any of these in relation to a social issue, but not as a topic in itself. I discuss ideas and venture opinions around socio-political jurisprudence, human rights, and good governance. Sometimes, I talk about events and people, including myself, in relation to socio-political issues. But, otherwise, I find it exceedingly uninteresting to discuss people in themselves, including myself.
How do you handle naughty followers?
I ignore a lot of antagonistic people. Much as I try to simplify my views, I still understand that not everyone can understand the complexities of my thought process. I do not hold it against them. That would be a waste of time. If someone is particularly bothersome, I mute their timeline. If I strongly disapprove of a person’s character, as opposed to their opinions, I block them from my timeline. Time is too short to fret over not being liked by everybody.
What things do you see people do on social media that you feel are weird?
Rule 20 of the Internet: “Nothing is to be taken seriously.” Rule 42: “Nothing is sacred.” For me, it’s a live-and-let-live world. Nothing is weird, and nothing is unusual.
What part of your life would you never share on social media?
I don’t discuss my career, emotional state, social and family relationships, material or financial status, or anything else about myself. I don’t talk about my life on social media. I may mention an aspect of any of these in relation to a social issue, but not as a topic in itself. I discuss ideas and venture opinions around socio-political jurisprudence, human rights, and good governance. Sometimes, I talk about events and people, including myself, in relation to socio-political issues. But, otherwise, I find it exceedingly uninteresting to discuss people in themselves, including myself.
How do you handle naughty followers?
I ignore a lot of antagonistic people. Much as I try to simplify my views, I still understand that not everyone can understand the complexities of my thought process. I do not hold it against them. That would be a waste of time. If someone is particularly bothersome, I mute their timeline. If I strongly disapprove of a person’s character, as opposed to their opinions, I block them from my timeline. Time is too short to fret over not being liked by everybody.
Rule 20 of the Internet: “Nothing is to be taken seriously.” Rule 42: “Nothing is sacred.” For me, it’s a live-and-let-live world. Nothing is weird, and nothing is unusual.
