Someone asked, ‘Is the good life that you are living actually true? This is an honest question most people should be asked because you already know the answer from the moment you log on to your Instagram account. Social media has become a way of life in Nigeria. And, brother, the costume department is busier than ever.
Go to any party in Lagos on a Friday night. Louis Vuitton. Gucci. Balenciaga. Rolex. The room sparkles. However, get close, because that “Gucci” has an extra i, the “Louis Vuitton” is spelled “Luis Vitton,” and the Rolex? It sounds louder than a market alarm clock. Worn with the confidence of Aliko Dangote, Made in China. Meanwhile, the guy with the three-piece suit, who would swear it’s from Italy? Since January, he has been on the phone with his landlord. The suit originated from Italy, Italy Street Market, Lagos.
This is Nigeria’s fake-life epidemic and much more costly than people would like to think.
But what is this costing you?
The first and most obvious expense is the price, and it can be devastating. Ever wonder how someone on a monthly income of ₦150,000 can always find the money to book exclusive seats, hire luxury outfits, and always have money to spend on a restaurant that costs more than even their transport allowance for the month? It’s not some secret investment portfolio that you need to seek out. It’s simply debt. Some people take out loans to own an iPhone that they can’t afford and pay for a lifestyle for other people’s eyes only.
A recent wellness conference highlighted something according to research on Nigerians. The young people aged 20-40 are spending their legacies not on assets, land, or stocks but on looks. Not on things that grow. On things that photograph well.
Now the question is, for whom are they performing? For people you don’t know on the web?. People who will double-tap a photo and forget it in three seconds. The audience isn’t loyal; the debt is.
But the financial cost is only the beginning
How about the mental burden of keeping up the act? Think about it. If you live a lie long enough, you have to keep track of that lie. You can never get a bit of relaxation at a gathering because somebody can notice that the soles of your Louboutins are starting to peel off. You won’t be able to be honest with your friends about your finances, as you’ve spent three months putting on a face of someone who’s doing great. The fear of being caught is an additional task.
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that depression and burnout are silently increasing among youths in Nigeria. Social media is never only about what they have; it tells you, all the time, that what you have isn’t enough. Then there’s the devalued Naira, the cost of living taking a hard hit, and unpredictable economic policies, not to mention the Dubai trip that people post about being funded by “mysterious uncles” and luxury hauls from brands you can’t even pronounce correctly.
The pressure doesn’t remain online. It enters into your relationship; it enters into your self-worth; it enters into your home.
And then there’s the darker side nobody wants to talk about
How many have sacrificed their values, or even their safety, in order to give the impression of wealth? In Nigeria, there has been a surge in crimes directly associated with the dire need to look rich in Lagos, Ilorin, and some other cities. With the disparity between the life you want to live and the life you can afford too large, some make drastic choices to close the gap. Fraud or Worse.
It starts little by little. They go to pose with cars at a showroom. With the caption : “Work hard, play harder.” They arrived in a Keke Napep, but the comments on their pages were “Big Boy!” And that validation? Na drug. It draws you in and makes you believe you want more. Soon, the stakes start to increase, and the small bluff is not enough
There is a wealth of quiet. Do you see that the wealthiest person in your community isn’t likely to be on your timeline? He owns 3 properties and makes passive income every month, but you would never know about it from his simple car, clothes, or appearance. Real riches don’t act rich. It accumulates.
Dangote, one of Nigeria’s real billionaires, and Mike Adenuga are not around here showing off their outfits. They report cash flows. It’s not like their shoes are the reason they’re so rich. Their assets are what is speaking
So what now?
The cure is not hard to come up with, but it does take some candor. Live within your means; that’s it. If you earn ₦300,000 a month, your expenses should not touch ₦200,000. Invest in assets that appreciate: land, stocks, fixed deposits, and skills that make you more valuable! Delay the gratification. That ₦150,000 you are planning to spend on a designer handbag, can you get it from the Idumota market or not? Place it in a multiplier.
Everything doesn’t have to be on social media. Silence is a way. Likes are not necessary for your investments. You don’t have to worry about engagement rates when it comes to your bank account.
Ultimately, as the elders say, “Cut your cloth according to your materials, even if it’s na Ankara. Don’t compete with people who purchase their whole personality from AliExpress.”
The faux life comes with a cost, and it’s one that isn’t being paid out by many people yet, even though the photograph is in the archives. It costs you your money, your mental well-being, your authenticity, and sometimes, your future.
The real flex is constructing something that lasts while no one is observing it.
