Blue-Eyed Woman: Photographers Issuing Fame As Compensation For Injustice, Poverty Are Flawed – Actress Sylvia Oluchy
Nollywood actress, Sylvia Oluchi has expressed that photographers issuing out ‘fame’ as compensation for injustice and poverty of people who rise to become social media sensations overnight is inappropriate.
Sylvia Oluchi in a series of tweets spoke about how a one-time breadseller named Olajumoke Orisaguna rose to fame after she accidentally strayed into a TY Bello photo shoot.
She stated that Orisaguna is now allegedly facing hard times months after being in the limelight.
Read Also: Bread Seller-turned-model Olajumoke, Allegedly Faces Hard times
The actress also talked about recent photo campaigns of the blue-eyed woman whose husband allegedly abandoned her for giving birth to daughters with same eye color as hers.
Oluchy expressed the idea of photographers bringing people who are poor or have experienced some form of injustice into limelight as compensation for their ordeal is intrinsically flawed.
She argued that throwing poor illiterates into the spot light is like throwing a baby into a deep end, which forces them to endure difficulties that come with the fame without having the means to be self-sustaining.
Sylvia stated;
This culture of photographers issuing out FAME as a compensation for injustice and poverty is instrincally flawed. Fame is not a reward. Fame is actually ENDURED in exchange for living your dreams. Celebrities will tell you their utopia is to keep the success and lose the fame.
She added;
People who require fame to boost their craft eg Actors, Musicians, Politicians usually go through a long period termed “paying your dues” where they develop a thick skin and learn to tolerate all the BS that comes with being popular. Throwing poor illiterates into the spot light is like throwing a baby in the deep end first to teach it how to swim.
Oluchy expressed;
I recall the breadseller who TY Bello made famous. Illiteracy and her naivety meant she couldn’t convert the sudden fame to anything substantial and there’s always someone lurking to take advantage of her new status. She later complained about how fame ripped her life apart.
Now it’s the woman with the blue eyes who was called a witch by her husband. Today, I saw a beautiful photoshoot on her. Helping someone would be more beneficial if we helped them progress in things they actually do as opposed to treating fame like a proven remedy to any problem.
According to the actress, the bread seller who is now struggling would have been better off if TY Bello helped her raise money to for instance start her own bakery.
She added;
These photographers have their hearts in the right place but the road to hell is paved with good intentions. Anybody in showbiz will tell you that sustaining fame is harder than getting it. Big brother contestants are a good example
What these photographers fail to realize is that unless they are prepared to stay the course, take these people under their wing, mentor and teach them the business of monetizing their fame for nothing less than 5 years. The fame they give them solves nothing long term.
Oluchy stressed that the photos of the faces of these women will be used as poster by people with their own agenda and then quickly forgotten, adding;
But now because they are popular, they can’t go back to their old life and can’t move forward.
We should help people become the best versions of themselves rather than creating a whole new reality for them. This blue eyed woman, what does she do? If she is a petty trader for example. It might be better to get her a bigger shop and give her capital to upgrade her business.
She recommended;
Perhaps these photographers might want to scour for under appreciated talent and issue those ones fame. They will be better prepared to handle it and ready to tolerate the life upheaval because fame is actually something they desire and need desperately.
Fame is HARD, don’t let the glamour on SM fool you. To sustain it, you REALLY need to WANT it. Now that we know her story, thanks to her photoshoot. Helping her grow at whatever it is she already does will be a longer lasting solution to self sufficiency than instant fame.
What are your thoughts about Oluchy’s stance?
I see much sense in her narrative