INFLUENCERS [TWITTER]

Dr. Dipo Awojide: Truly one of those who have utilised social media as a tool to grow their careers, Dr. Dipo is a strategist Senior lecturer in Strategy and Assistant Course Leader, BA Business at Nottingham Trent University, UK, a brand consultant and by extension, a life coach. He is one of Twitter NG’s most remarkable figures, and also a very savvy LinkedIn user. He is the founder and CEO of BTDT Hub; an incubator Hub that inspires and empowers Young Professionals and Graduates. He uses his Twitter to both sought after business opportunities while helping others network to find business opportunities of their own.

Debo Adebayo: Popularly known as Mr Macaroni, the acting resident neighbourhood middle-aged rich pervert rose to fame by making millions of content consumers on social media laugh their hearts out, and today he simply is one of the biggest and most influential content creators in the country. He uses his Twitter page to advocate for social and political change, and the #EndSARS protest showed he’s not just a comedian. Debo Adebayo came out on the streets to match, fight, and was arrested for the cause. And, with such an outcome you would think he would be deterred. He continues to use his platform to speak against corrupt governance and rally his followers to fight for change. 

Pamilerin Adegoke: Arguably one of Nigeria’s most strategic social media influencers, Pamilerin took brilliance to a whole new level when he somehow managed to turn a slap to fame. Having being a victim of violence from one of Nigeria’s most popular singers Peruzzi, Pamilerin took to social media to spotlight the incident and since then, owing to the fact that once he got people’s attention, he kept it, he has seen nothing but a meteoric rise to social media stardom. His brand is a mix of fun banter and intriguing opinions on social issues. He is an individual who can drive a conversation on just about any subject, and for the past few years have been one of the go to guys for brands looking to get some marketability. Depending on who you ask, Pamilerin is a lifestyle influencer, thought leader, entrepreneur, social media strategist and a humanitarian.

Dr. Chinoso Egemba: If you are a Nigerian who frequents Twitter, then there is no doubt that you would have come across this Doctor’s tweet, that is of course assuming that you don’t already follow him. Popularly known as Aproko Doctor, this medical doctor’s goal seems to be both helping his followers develop a healthy body as well as a healthy mind. His opinions on Twitter are a blend of life hacks and health tips. He also makes comments on political and social issues, the kind that resonate with Nigerians and expose daunting truths. In practice, Dr. Chinoso is a Medical Doctor, Health Communications Expert, Public Health Advocate, and blogger, who runs his own blog site, dedicated to articles on how to live a healthy life.

Alex Oriaifo: Coming down to the more light-hearted side of things, Alex Oriaifo, popularly known as Four Eyed Edo Boy has been a reliable source of comic relief for Nigerians since 2011 when he first opened his Twitter account. His brand on the app is a clever blend of truth and witticism, as he constantly finds a way to walk the tightrope of lightning up the mood without offending anyone. He is easily one of the wittiest, hilarious and creative influencers on Twitter, and with half a million people following him, many of whom like and retweet his posts, he oftentimes sparks conversations that spill into the next day.

Japheth Joshua Omojuwa: Simply known as JJ Omojuwa, he is an author who continues to enjoy an illustrious writing career. Judging from his tweets, you can say he is a huge football fanatic who can’t seem to get enough of superstar soccer player Lionel Messi. But, like a number of concerned Nigerians citizens, he too has a profound interest in politics. He never seems to shy away from talking about political issues, and doesn’t seem afraid of touching on sensitive political topics. He is a writer who has worked as a columnist for The Punch newspaper, Leadership newspaper and Naij.com. He has also written articles which have been featured on CNN. He runs his own podcast: The Culture Saints and Sinner Podcast, which features celebrities, media personalities and industry leaders.

Samuel Mbah: Samuel Mbah is yet another social media influencer whose brand centres around being amusing and relatable. His commentary on just about anything is sure to leave you rolling on the floor, but the genius of his tweets is how timely, creative and realistic they are. He has a unique way of analyzing pop culture, speaking on numerous sub-subjects of relationship, and of course commenting on current events and social issues. While it is applaudable that he can deliver a joke, it is commendable that he can take one, as his choice of hair style has been a go to joke for his fellow influencers and friends.

Dr. Olufunmilayo Harvey: Unafraid and unapologetic, this medical doctor likes to call it like he sees it. He is very passionate about raising awareness on health issues. From tips and reminders on basic proper hygiene, to full on threads about deadly diseases, Dr. Olufunmilayo Harvey always finds time to bring such issues to everyone’s attention. He was particularly vocal at the height of the CoronaVirus pandemic, taking time each day to enlighten his followers on the pandemic. As much as he loves to talk about health protocols and preventive measures, he also loves to talk about politics. As soon as a hot button political topic appears, you can almost be certain that this doctor will have a thing or two to say, and whatever it is that he says, he seems to say with courage and authority.

Rinu Oduala: Rinu Oduala’s rise to fame has being contextualised in its literal sense. She was just another Twitter user with a relatively large following prior to the revolutionary #EndSARS protests, but after she took to the streets and spoke out loudly against the barbaric practices of the Nigerian police force, she became one of the leading voices for the youths. Twitter for her, like many other influencers at the time, was a valid tool to let her voice be heard, and till today, she still uses her social media to continue to advocate for Nigerians. She uses Twitter to raise hard hitting issues concerning the country, including calling for justice, calling for aid, or simply calling for people’s attention.