Obasanjo’s Internet – Ayotunde Bello

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, Film Director,  Ayotunde Bello,  talks to us about how he uses Obasanjo’s Internet. 

What’s the first thing you do when you wake up?

If my mom asks me that question, I would lie to her and say pray but most of the time I probably just check my phone first for any potential business, messages from maybe clients or anything like that on Instagram, Twitter, and mostly WhatsApp.

How do you use the internet for work or pleasure?

I mix both but ever since I turned 23 upwards, it has mostly been for work. So, you know, promoting myself, my brand and, whatever I work on. I’m always putting it on the internet. I still try to have fun once in a while but it’s mostly just for work.

What moment or episode in your life would you say captured the essence of the internet?

There are so many, but I think the most vital one was in 2020 right? When we got the opportunity to make a documentary for Damini – Burna Boy. And I remember his team reached out to us and then they asked to see any of our work and how people reacted to it on the internet. I remember that I already had a short film on YouTube that I promoted on Instagram, Twitter, and everything. So I just sent them the link and just like that the team and I were in front of Burna Boy two days after. Simply because we had something to prove already on the internet. From that day, I realized that omo it’s very important to put yourself out there and promote your work because without it, a lot of times you could be very good but your clients won’t be able to verify that you are that, good you get? 

Your favourite social media platform and why? 

Instagram by a mile. As they always say, humans are creatures of habit.  I went to a school where we mostly used Instagram because phones were not allowed. So WhatsApp or iMessage Snapchat and things like that were not apps that we used. It was just Instagram because we could log into Instagram on anything, you know, on your iPad, on your laptop and stuff like that. Instagram was the platform that I used early on to promote myself. I got used to it. You know, I have the most friends on it. I have the most reach on it as well. So it’s just my favorite out of Tiktok and the rest.

What was the last meme you saved?

Do you remember the first time something you posted went viral? What was it? How did it make you feel?

I feel like virality numbers have changed over time. There was a time on Instagram and Twitter that if you got 10K views, you’re already viral. Most people would just see that you’ve got a lot of views as opposed to, now that there are reels, and you see a reel with 500K views. There was a time in school when Seun and I created a video and it got 12K views. To me that was viral. So I was very excited. It was just really good. I felt like, ok, yeah, now people are actually seeing everything we are trying to push. We were in school then so most people would just see us randomly just be like oh, “I love your video.” So it just made me feel seen in some ways, you know.

What’s the most outrage you have ever generated over something you posted? How did you react to it?

So it was during last year’s election. I was going to most polling units and I was posting updates because I saw that most of these APC guys were kind of using thugs to bully people. So I was putting stuff out there. At Falzthebadguy’s polling unit – he was one of the guys who were pushing people to go vote and everything –  they seized this phone and scattered the whole ballot and agebros took over. So I putting stuff out there that “yo, you guys should go and help them, this is happening,” blah, blah, blah. And people were coming for me  like, “What’s your business?” “They told you to stay at home” blah, blah “Why are Nigerians trying to prove stubborn Tinubu is still going to win.” That tweet got 20k likes and 2.1 million reach.

What rules do you live by on the internet?

I don’t post any sexual related topics or content, I do not insult people. No matter what you do, even if I find you very stupid, I’ll probably quote it and laugh or just say “ahan wetin be this” but I won’t say “This one, you’re a fool” I don’t like insulting people. I just feel it’s very low.

I’m very conscious of using the F-word on the internet because I know that I’m also followed by kids and I don’t want them to see it like a normal thing. Also, I stay away from things I don’t really know much about. I know people always talk about calling out a person, or this person did something to this person, this person stole this person’s money, if I don’t know enough about the topic, I do not put my mouth in it. These are two random strangers that I don’t know anything about so why am involving myself in their drama or trying to pick a side or talk and try to prove a point about what someone else did? So I try to keep my mouth shut in situations like that on the internet.

What is your guiltiest online pleasure?

I like watching people yab themselves on the internet. So whenever there’s chaos happening, I will not say anything but it’s always sweet to watch the chaos unfold. I just like watching them. Imagine they are just yabbing themselves and then one is just casting the other person like “Is it not you that stole my boyfriend?” all those kinds of stupid things. I go just dey my bed, dey watch, dey laugh. Very sweet.

Would you say you have an online persona?

Yeah I do. So my online persona is mostly like this funny guy who finds most things funny and is just trying to crack a joke or find something easy to say that will make people laugh and stuff. But in reality, I’m still like that, but I’m more serious in person. If you sit down with me for a long time, I will start talking about some serious things and that’s because I just noticed that if you are like that on Twitter or Instagram, people will hardly – I don’t know if you’ve noticed but people follow people who are more likely to make them laugh or make them vibe as opposed to someone that makes them read or think and things like that, especially Nigerians. So I kind of find a balance to it online sometimes. But I’m just posting funny things online. But in reality, if I’m talking to you, you’ll think you’re talking to a popsy or something.

What’s your favourite emoji and why?

My favorite emoji is that one blowing confetti because I feel like it just translates to mostly celebrating people. So if my sister gets accepted to a school, I can just easily send that to her to show that I’m excited. If it’s your birthday or if you give birth to a baby, I just put that there to celebrate you. And these past three years I’ve just been celebrating a lot of my friends, you know, because they’ve been doing great things. That’s even my top used right now. I usually just use that a lot of times and then I write congratulations or the emoji with the hands up, like you’re hailing someone. 

Are you particular about your feed?

Yeah I am very particular about it. I’m not the kind to block people but if I notice that you’re the kind of person who brings a lot of negativity to my feed or you just post some very weird things, I will not block you, I’ll just probably unfollow and mute the page or something because I feel like the entrance to our hearts is our eyes and our ears. So I’m always trying to protect that.

YouTube or TikTok? Which do you prefer and why?

YouTube! Because I feel like YouTube has more reach in the sense that you can see someone that has a billion views. TikTok is still growing, you can’t see that. And then you know YouTube is more of an established platform as opposed to TikTok. We’re still hearing rumors of them saying that they’re going to ban Tiktok and stuff like that. I don’t think it’s a safe space for a creator who’s trying to build an audience because anything can happen at any time. I prefer YouTube because of those reasons and more. People are just more familiar with YouTube. Most people know how to go around YouTube. I feel like most parents know how to go around YouTube as opposed to TikTok. 

Which Nigerian creator do you think the world needs to see and hear more of?

Hmm I think Fisayo Fosudo. I like his videos a lot and I feel like he is a world-class creator, not just to be boxed into the Nigerian or African space. I feel like he’s a very intelligent person and I think most people in the world would enjoy seeing him and listening to him talk and everything. I just think he’s a very excellent guy.

Who is the coolest person you follow and the coolest person who follows you?

He’s an actor. I’ve always felt like he’s the coolest human being in the world, since I was small because I used to watch a series he and one other guy used to do called Supernatural. His name is Jensen Ackles. I feel like he’s an all around cool guy, you know, he’s never in any drama. He’s just doing his own acting, dresses very cool, he’s a very smooth talker as well. I just really like the guy.

The coolest person that follows me is Tobi Bakare. I met him earlier this year and then bro, I just realized why a lot of people like the guy. You know those kinds of guys who can mold into any environment you put them in. They don’t usually say “I can’t do this” or “I can’t do that.” You can put him on a power bike right now and we’d just drive it. He knows how to do things like that and I think it’s very cool.

What is your favourite Nigerian podcast?

What’s the name of that podcast that is always causing wahala online? Honest Bunch. Those guys. They always say the most controversial things but it’s always the truth at the end of the day. I like listening to them.

Have you ever hooked up with someone you met online?

Ah no no no. It’s very risky for me, so no. 

5 people you’d love to see answer these questions

Fiyin Gambo, Seun Frank, Derin Omiri, Ebuka Mic and Ifuekoo.

Read previous Obasanjo’s Internet entries here