Popular actress, content creator and brand influencer Oluwabukunmi Adeaga-Ilori, better known as Kiekie, has warned against the growing trend of destructive online criticism, saying the pursuit of clout and social media earnings is hurting Nigeria’s creative industry.
Kiekie spoke on Tuesday while participating in a panel discussion at the QEDNG Creative Powerhouse Summit in Lagos, themed “What Creatives Need From Nigeria.”
The content creator said social media had become a major challenge for creatives, who are constantly exposed to public scrutiny and criticism unlike professionals in many other fields.
While acknowledging that constructive criticism could help creatives improve, she urged members of the public to be more responsible in how they review creative works.
“Just like bankers, when you go to work, they only report to their portfolio managers. But as creatives, we sort of report to the public, so they get to judge our work, scrutinise it, and critique it, and that’s beautiful because in criticism, in a way, you find the need for improvement,” she said.
However, Kiekie expressed concern about content creators who deliberately disparage creative projects simply to generate engagement and make money from social media platforms.
According to her, some individuals now make excessively negative comments about films, skits and other creative projects because controversial opinions attract views, interactions and financial rewards.
“The challenge we have nowadays is because we have a few platforms that are paying people just to talk. People now just want to talk, and they are just talking,” she said.
Kiekie warned that such negative commentary could have consequences beyond social media, particularly when potential investors see viral criticism and become discouraged from supporting creative projects.
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She explained that a viral post criticising a project could generate millions of views and earn its creator money, but ultimately damage the wider industry.
“What you’re doing is you’re watering down an entire industry,” she stated.
The actress, who also identified herself as a professional fashion designer, urged critics to ensure that their opinions are genuine and aimed at helping creatives improve rather than generating clout or personal financial gain.
“Critique, say what you must, but be mindful of how you say it. Because what we do is to entertain doesn’t mean that it doesn’t take blood, sweat and tears from us,” she said.
Kiekie added that creative works should be evaluated honestly and fairly, stressing that criticism should not be driven solely by the desire to gain attention or increase social media earnings.
She was one of the panellists at the summit, which brought together stakeholders to discuss the challenges facing Nigeria’s creative sector and what creatives need from the country to thrive.
