Did you know that there are approximately 4.66 billion active internet users worldwide? Can you imagine all the different ways in which we all use the internet? Obasanjo’s Internet is our interview series where we speak to some of our internet favourites on how they relate to the internet and what it means to them and their work. This week, Anny Robert talks to us about how he uses Obasanjo’s Internet.
What’s the first thing you do when you wake up?
Check my phone I guess. Look at my notifications and see if there’s anything important. Most times I’ll go back to sleep if I’ve not slept enough, then wake up again, check my phone again and talk to anybody that needs talking to. That’s it.
How do you use the internet for work or pleasure?
Both. I use Twitter and Instagram the most, my Twitter is banter plus work while my Instagram is mostly work because it’s straight to the point with pictures but I still try to incorporate work into Twitter. I use social media to make sure my name is always in people’s ears.
What moment or episode in your life would you say captured the essence of the internet?
I think I owe a huge part of my career journey to the internet. Once I let people know what I did, a lot of people took it upon themselves to spread the word, there were a lot of referrals and it became sort of a community thing. I didn’t grow up in Lagos, but now I live and work here and the only community I have is on the internet and my university alumni. The internet has played a major part in basically pushing me as a person and a brand to other people.
Your favourite social media platform and why?
It’ll be Twitter because for me there’s a lot more you can do there compared to other apps. A lot of things are combined into one for Twitter. I’ve been able to build a proper community on Twitter and it allows people to see the personality behind the profile. Twitter is more interesting and more engaging because people like to feel like they know a person, that makes it more personal for them and Twitter lets you do just that, it’s the best for me.
What was the last meme you saved?
I don’t save memes, I only save things that can inspire me for a shoot or for my art pieces. I’ve just scrolled all the way to August and I can’t find any memes.
Do you remember the first time something you posted went viral? What was it? How did it make you feel?
I don’t think I can remember the first time, but one viral moment that stood out for me was when I referred to Nala as Tems. It went really viral, as far as Tems using it as her profile picture on Instagram. It’s the fucking randomness of the internet, there are posts you put so much effort into and they never go anywhere, but the most random and unthoughtful things are what people like to go with. Most times, I mute my tweets when they start doing numbers so I have no idea how viral it’s gone until I see the tweet a week later and realise how much engagement it has. I’d prefer it if my work could go viral like this more often, but it is the internet and flimsy things take precedence.
What’s the most outrage you have ever generated over something you posted? How did you react to it?
I think it’ll be when I had issues with the LGBTQ community when they dug up my past basically. There was chaos about it, but it never came from a place of harm. I didn’t even know the tweet had caught fire because I had muted the tweet immediately after tweeting it. When my friend called me and started talking about it, I was so confused because I had no idea what she was talking about. Because of the kind of place Twitter is, I had to come out and address the post so that people understand my point of view and the entire thing doesn’t come back to bite.
What rules do you live by on the internet?
As much as I interact on the internet, there are a lot of details about my life that aren’t on the internet. I don’t think I care much about sharing my problems on the internet, I only talk to people about my issues if I know they can do something about it or if I just need someone to talk about it, and the internet is not that person for me. I also believe you don’t have to engage every single topic on the timeline or have an opinion about everything on the internet. Not everything needs to circle back to you and stay away from controversy.
What is your guiltiest online pleasure?
Tumblr I think, that’s one of my favourite places to be.
Would you say you have an online persona?
Yes definitely, I do. My online persona is generally fun and unhinged sometimes. I stopped being raunchy a while back because of corporate work, but generally, I’m a live, laugh, love type of person.
What’s your favourite emoji and why?
I think it’s 😂because I laugh a lot. I just want to see stuff and laugh on the internet. I also send a lot of ❤️ and 🙏 to show appreciation.
Are you particular about your feed?
Yeah. It’s mostly funny things. I have a tendency to mute anyone with too strong of a personality because I’m just on the internet to laugh.
YouTube or TikTok? Which do you prefer and why?
YouTube. I use YouTube more, I can count the number of times I’ve been on TikTok. I use YouTube for research, music and tutorials. I don’t think I can manage to scroll on TikTok for as long as I can for Twitter. I don’t think I have the attention span for TikTok.
Which Nigerian creator do you think the world needs to see and hear more of?
I honestly can’t think of anyone right now.
Who is the coolest person you follow and the coolest person who follows you?
No o, the coolest person I follow is going to cause problems, so I can’t say anything right now. I’ll go with the biggest person that follows me instead of the coolest, and that’s Don Jazzy.
What is your favourite Nigerian podcast?
Jess Finesse Presents by Jess Jess Finesse, its really nice, I’ve been on it.
Have you ever hooked up with someone you met online?
It’s almost everybody. I don’t really go outside so most of the people I’ve hooked up with are from social media platforms, especially Twitter.
5 people you’d love to see answer these questions
@Woulk3r, @RICOVI_B, @neosvy, @TheGreyHunter, @_Ortodox
Read previous Obasanjo’s Internet entries here.
