In the digital age of Afrobeats and Nollywood, the Nigerian entertainment industry is a masterclass in performance, and public relations is its finest act yet.
We adore our Nigerian stars for sure. Their music soundtracks our lives, their films define our weekends, and their extravagant lifestyles provide endless fodder for aspiration.
But honestly? We have also noticed a recurring pattern.
From Instagram to X to TikTok, a few key storylines have popped up so many times that, darling, they are well and truly expired.
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In this article, we unveil eight of the most familiar smoke screens, and the predictable deflections that our beloved celebrities deploy, often to shield themselves from public scrutiny, or worse, to engineer a fresh wave of hype.
1, The “Irreconcilable Differences” Announcement
Ah yes, The PR-approved, caption-ready heartbreak. In the Nigerian celebrity ecosystem, divorce is not merely a personal tragedy, it’s almost like a full-scale production, complete with lighting, soft focus, and the faint scent of non-disclosure agreements.
The announcement is always tender, painfully polite, and in some cases – suspiciously well-written you can practically hear the publicist’s MacBook humming in the background.
“After much prayer and reflection,” they begin, before delivering the tired crescendo: “irreconcilable differences” or “amicable separation.”
What they really mean is: The behind the scenes drama is far too messy, legally complicated, and damaging to our personal brands to ever be made public.
Because make no mistake: behind that carefully worded plea for “privacy” lies a battlefield of betrayal, financial disputes, and unfiltered voice notes just waiting to leak.
We have seen it time and again. The initial posts arrive like corporate memos disguised as love letters, all “mutual respect” and “gratitude.”
Then, inevitably, come the counter-claims, the leaked chats, the family members giving unsolicited exclusives to gossip blogs. Within weeks, the myth of the “amicable split” crumbles faster than a stale chin-chin at a wedding afterparty.
Truth is, the ‘irreconcilable differences’ line is hardly ever about closure or healing. It is more of a temporary ceasefire between two people who know the real war will soon be fought in the court of public opinion.
2, “God Did”
You did. I did. In fact, we all cheered when DJ Khaled made that 2022 smash hit sound like a hymn for hustlers.
But in the Nigerian celebrity universe, “God did” has become less a declaration of faith and more a convenient smokescreen for seemingly unexplained prosperity.
Scroll under any photo of a new Lambo parked in Lekki, mansion gleaming with imported marble, or a wrist stacked with diamond encrusted Patek watches that could fund a small university.
The caption is always the same: “God did” or “Just hard work and grace”. This revered catchphrase sanctifies wealth, avoids criticism, and casts a moral halo over what might otherwise seem like creative accounting.
In a country where income inequality is a national sport and “side hustle” can mean anything from crypto/forex trading to dating a sponsor with strong political ties, “God did” serves as both confession and a disguise.
What they really mean is: Do not ask too many questions about my source of income. Just praise God and mind your own broke business. It is the gospel of plausible deniability.
Divine favour becomes the ultimate PR manager. And it’s much safer to invoke heaven than to explain your luxurious lifestyle, when your earnings are several zeros higher than your actual career trajectory.
“God did” is the ultimate Nigerian firewall in the fiercely competitive influencer market, where everyone is a “brand ambassador” for a product we may have never seen.
It cushions envy, shields you from responsibility, and gives your comment section a digital makeover. Because if anyone dares to question you, they are not just criticising your lifestyle, they are challenging God himself.
3, “I Choose Peace”
Another of the most cliched lies Nigerian celebrities tell us is, “I choose peace.”
It is used when a celebrity is directly asked to address growing criticism or when there are feuds, conflicts, or rumours. The phrase is often followed by a picture of a peaceful landscape, a deep quote that is usually borrowed, or a sudden social media cleanse – which is also known as a “digital detox.”
What they really mean is: I will not dignify this with a response because my lawyer/brand manager has explicitly told me to shut up OR I am simply preparing for a massive counter narrative.
It is the ultimate calculated non-response. When a celebrity uses this kind of language, it’s not humility; it’s strategic restraint. It makes them look like the mature, “above it all” party, making their critics or rivals look like “the noise” that their brand is too sophisticated to engage with.
It is a reluctant retreat that frequently conceals a calculated move to prevent more controversy while PR or legal plans are being developed. In most cases, the “peace” being chosen is for brand protection, not tranquility.
4, “I’m Getting New Management, Stay Tuned”
After a period of diminishing returns on the charts or a string of disappointing film roles, the celebrity announces a change in their team. This type of post often reads: “Excited for this new chapter. New management, new direction, same passion. Watch this space.”
What they really mean is: My last project flopped catastrophically, my old team is now scapegoated, and I need a massive, attention grabbing distraction before my next project.
Oftentimes, the first sign of a faltering career momentum is a shake-up in management. It is a calculated move to signal a ‘fresh start’ to fans and potential collaborators, suggesting that all past professional failures were the fault of the old regime, not the star’s own creative choices or market appeal.
It serves as a temporary solution to public perception, when a true creative pivot is not yet ready.
5, “I Just Want to Keep My Life Private Now”
After years of sharing every milestone, from new cars to baby showers, a celebrity who has been caught up in a media frenzy suddenly claims a desire for privacy.
They say: “Moving forward, I will be keeping my relationship/family life strictly private.”
This usually follows a very public gaffe, a social media fight, or in rare cases – a wardrobe malfunction.
What they really mean is: I have realised that overexposure is currently hurting my bankability and I need to create a sense of scarcity and mystique to raise my market value.
Truth is, when attention turns negative, privacy becomes a commodity.
We know the celebrities who are frequently praised for their successful private unions, but for others, the claim of ‘private life’ is often a last-ditch PR tactic to stop the negative publicity and restore the boundaries that the star first broke in order to gain clout.
6, The “Death Hoax” or “Illness Scare” Stunt
Nothing grabs attention faster than a headline that begins with RIP, and some Nigerian celebrities have learned that lesson far too well.
Every few months, the internet descends into chaos. Tearful fans flood timelines with candle emojis, hashtags of grief start trending, and influencers post emotional tributes before confirming if the person is actually, you know, alive.
Then, like a plot twist in a badly written Asabawood script, the supposedly deceased star then comes back to life and posts a video on Instagram that conveniently promotes a new single, album, or tour. Resurrection power!…sorry..marketing at its finest.
Make no mistake: some illness reports and deaths are painfully real.
However, there are others that have the distinct smell of convenient timing.
On social media, fan pages and gossip blogs, fuelling rumours of celebrities being “found dead” or “rushed to hospital” are common.
Sympathy is transformed into streams, clicks, and algorithmic gold in a matter of hours.
What this manipulative stunt really means is: I have a new single/tour/project dropping next week, and I need maximum virality, regardless of the emotional cost to my fan base.
The most outrageous example remains the widely reported, thankfully false, death of rapper Oladips, whose “passing” dominated headlines only for him to reappear days later — right on cue with a new album.
Fans who had spent days praying and mourning realised they had been drafted into a marketing plan.
It is the darker side of celebrity virality, the exploitation of empathy for engagement.
The idea is twisted but effective in some ways: if tears trend, use them. If prayers bring views, collect them. And if your career needs revival, pretend to die first.
Needless to say, it is a reckless and short sighted gamble that destroys public trust. Because fans stop believing in you once they realise that your promotion strategy included their heartbreak. And nothing ends a career faster than an audience that no longer believes your story is authentic.
7, “It’s Just a Music Video/Movie Role”
The favourite line of every celebrity caught doing something that makes the internet choke on its early morning akara. It all starts with a risqué photo that features a scandalous outfit, a staged pregnancy, or a fictitious fight.
And when the public reacts, the same generic response they tell us is: “Relax, it’s just content. It’s for a new video/movie/skit.”
Of course it is. And we are all extras in their marketing campaign.
What they really mean is: The controversy was the entire point. I am testing the limits of public acceptability to drive maximum engagement and I’ve got exactly what I wanted.
It is the oldest trick in the modern fame playbook — manufactured outrage as public relations. This tired defence has become the ultimate escape hatch for celebrities who know exactly what they are doing. They light the match, watch the comments explode, and when the fire gets too hot, they claim it was all art.
From Tekno’s transparent bus dance that landed him in hot water, to the Asake and India Love dating rumours, the goal is to generate conversation and clicks.
This strategy is a calculated risk that pays off in headlines and moral panic, the very oxygen of virality.
The follow-up is always predictable. The unapologetic ones publish a long caption about creative expression and pushing artistic boundaries, while others opt for a carefully worded apology to anyone who was “offended.”
Then, conveniently, a new single, video, or brand deal slides into view, cushioned by the very attention they engineered. Every outrage, every retweet, every argument in the comment section translates into reach, and reach means revenue. The “it was just a video” excuse is not about art. It is about analytics.
8, “We’re Just Good Friends”
In the Nigerian celebrity world, friendship is the new foreplay. The polite little lie dressed up as a boundary. Whenever two famous people are spotted together, a hand lingering too long, a whisper exchanged, or a knowing glance caught on camera, brace yourself for the “We are just friends” disclaimer.
What they really mean is: We are definitely something, but we would rather not let you ruin it with your curiosity.
We’ve seen Nigerian celebrities shut down dating rumours when photos of their “friendly” body language look like a deleted scene from a romantic film.
Touching. Wholesome. Perfectly sanitised.
The “just friends” line is genius in its simplicity. It offers the illusion of transparency while saying nothing at all. It gives fans a moral cushion to sit on, while insiders nod knowingly in the background.
It is not about denying affection but controlling the narrative. Because once the phrase lands, the story becomes untouchable. No one can accuse you of lying outright, but everyone is left second-guessing.
You can dance, laugh, travel, and “accidentally” post matching pictures from the same private jet, and the public will still cling to the comforting idea that it is “just friendship.” It is the polite version of mind your business. And in a culture where relationships can make or break endorsement deals, privacy becomes less about intimacy and more about strategy.
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