BOBRISKY HAD A GATEMAN CALLED JACOB

Yes, that's right! Bobrisky had a "gateman" called Jacob!
And so?

Your facial expression right there, right now as you read that caption, is almost digitally palpable. I could almost see you asking me "And so? who cares?" In the common Naija parlance, "how does that concern us?", "Who e epp?", "Oga park well!"

(Well, just read on and thank me later. Lol)

His name is Okuneye Idris Olanrewaju a.k.a. Bobrisky. That's the cross dresser guy who became popular by claiming that he was gay at a time when such action was outlawed in Nigeria and attracted a 14 - years jail term. His popularity on social media soured because of such controversies which he weaves perfectly each time to his benefit. Well, this guy had a gatekeeper named Jacob.

And here, my main focus is on Jacob and not really on Bobrisky. And also, I'm not here to play the judge on the lifestyle of Bobrisky (well, maybe not today), or to gossip about what went wrong between them or, their quarrels which resulted. I'm here to simply write something from another perspective --- how I saw it all.

I'm interested in how quickly Jacob became popular alongside his boss to the point of been given some real attention, even if it was for a moment. For me, that attention was huge and was worth a lot.

How? Why?

It's simple! The mobile phone and the Internet did it.

Millions of young people in Nigeria who have a mobile phone and access to the Internet and who are enthusiastic about news and events, eventually heard about a certain "gateman" called - yes- JACOB!

Who would have known him? Who would have even had time to bother about his story, true or false if not because of the Internet? After all, he was only a "gatekeeper" . Wasn't he?

Photo From L-R: Jacob, Mc Galaxy

But he suddenly became the "Most popular gateman" in Nigeria, at least momentarily on social media. He even became close to popular Nigerian music artist Mc Galaxy to the point of visiting him in his house. And not only that, this "ordinary gateman" was able to get the attention of millions of people via his short Facebook and Instagram videos and these millions of Nigerians gave him their time, listening and responding to whatever he said.

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To me, it doesn't matter much what he said or what anyone said. What mattered was that, he spoke and people actually listened and TOOK SOME ACTIONS (either abused him or agreed with him or you kept calm and thought about the credibility of what you watched).

We can deduce some lessons from this story.


1. Leverage On The Power of The Internet

If a "gateman" who can barely weave two correct English sentences together could use the internet to get the attention of millions of people, imagine what you can do if only you decide to maximize the power of the internet? You have a smartphone that has a video capability. Your phone can write and can show your thoughts and ideas to millions of people, but are you using it for any work that can fetch you some cash on the long run?

Did you not know that whatever small business you have, could be seen by thousands more just because of your phone? And these thousands may not even be within your area and never could have heard about you if not for the Internet? The social media has enormous powers that can transform your life. Use it to your advantage.

It doesn't matter who you are or, how obscure or insignificant you think you or your ideas are, some people want to hear you. Your ideas might be what someone needs to take the next step to success.

I'm sure that many people who read about Jacob and spoke back to him, didn't know about such fellow before that video. If people listened to Jacob and took some actions, why do you think that they won't listen to you and also take some actions about what you're telling them?

Today, a lot of people are making money from YouTube and blogging (just to mention a few) from the convenience of their home. But I don't have a computer you say? Well, most of these bloggers and vloggers don't even use a laptop computer for their work, they mostly work with their smart phones.

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I once heard about a lady who uses her MacBook mainly for seeing movies and playing video games, and I was so stunned. I don't know about you, but personally I think it's a misuse of the system. See, your MacBook Pro is not only meant for downloading and watching movies, or for playing video games, that's a powerful too you got right there in your hands. Maximise it!

You are a lady with over 4000 Facebook followers and each of your photos get more than 2000 likes, that's your own community, maximize and leverage on it. Have you ever thought about turning your passion for taking and uploading pictures into making some real profit? You could submit a convincing proposal to a beauty company to be one of their social media product marketer, you know?  If you tell over 2000 people in your space who like your photos that so-and-so product is the reason for your fresh looks, I can bet you that they will seriously consider changing their own products for yours. At the end of the day, the company makes more sales and you also make extra money. It's a win-win situation. Think about it. Your smart phone is not only meant for taking pictures, you can equally make some money out of it.

In 2018, leverage on the power of the internet because most opportunities these days are in the digital space. Stop waiting for the government to create jobs. Create ripples right where you are. Bring out your own story. Bring out your business to the world. Showcase what you have and let the world see it. Your smart phone could be the bridge between poverty and wealth. Use it to your advantage.

2. Your Network Is Your Net-worth

I tried to look at the Jacob guy and how he suddenly became a topic and I found out that apart from his association with Bobrisky, he wouldn't have been known. No matter how you look at it, the kind of people you allow access to your life will  ultimately determine either your growth or your fall.

See, I'm not asking you to become friends with people who don't share the same  godly values as you, because it is possible for people to sometimes look at the wrong places for solutions to their personal problems, forgetting to look at the right places for the solution they seek. All I'm saying is that you become more conscious and deliberate about the people you allow access into your life.

The truth is, more often than not, the people closest to you are the problem. When you allow all sorts of people free and unrestricted access to you, sooner rather than later, you will pay a big price for your tactlessness, irresponsibility and over-liberal nature either by way of loss in finances or loss in your reputation. Nevertheless, this is not an endorsement to ignore and shut out those friends that have come a long way with you. It only means that you stop them from influencing your life as long as they are unwilling to improve on their own lives.

Be very deliberate about building your network this year. Broaden your scope, expand your horizon and connect with people who have what you need, but also share in your godly values. Remember, your network is your net-worth.


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