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 favorites on how they relate to the Internet and what it means to them and their work. This week, Commercial and Documentary Director, Dada “Oluwadabest” Temitope, talks to us about how he uses Obasanjo’s Internet.
What’s the first thing you do when you wake up?
I mean, the first thing I do changes over time. It depends on the period or mood I’m in. At times I just wake up to pray, normal morning devotion, other days I wake up to my phone alarm to get out of bed and go to work. So there’s not one exact thing I always do when I wake up.
How do you use the internet for work or pleasure?
I use the internet in both ways. I’ve been able to find a balance between using it for work and also using it for fun. I think majorly the core of my internet use is work. But I’ve been able to make work fun.
What moment or episode in your life would you say captured the essence of the internet?
So I think it’s probably because I’m a little bit old and I was there at the advent of the internet. I’m part of the generation that experienced both worlds, the world where there was no internet or mobile phones. My generation just sits between both and has experienced both extremes. So I think what captures mostly will be the transition from the analog to the digital phase of the world, where everything is right in the palm of your hand and what will probably take you two days to get done before, can be done in a few seconds.
What is your favorite social media platform and why?
It has to be between Instagram and Twitter. I’m starting to like Twitter more these days. But I mean, I think it’s Instagram. It’s a large part of my life and my career.
Do you remember the first time something you posted went viral? What was it? How did it make you feel?
The only one I can remember is my first project that went viral. It is the first-ever commercial I directed alone and it went viral on the internet. Up to now, people still refer to that commercial when they talk about me or any space where they talk about my projects.
What’s the most outrage you have ever generated over something you posted? How did you react to it?
That has to be on Twitter. I can’t remember what I posted but they dragged me left and right. I just muted the post and since then I’ve not gone back to check what happened there.
What rules do you live by on the internet?
I try to stay true to myself and also have fun as much as possible. I’m not part of the people who fight online or fight in the comment sections. You will never find me doing that or dragging somebody under an Instablog post – and I don’t follow popular blogs, just to keep my sanity. I think that’s a major rule for me. I don’t follow Tunde Ednut, Instablog, or all of that, even though those posts still make their way to my timeline.
What is your guiltiest online pleasure?
Watching random videos of people cleaning stuff like car wash videos.
Would you say you have an online persona?
Yes, I do. Especially on Twitter. Twitter is not my real face, it’s my alter ego. I’m more of a quiet person in real life. On Twitter, it is not like I tweet a lot but I kind of attack people when it comes to my work – I am very outspoken in regards to that. But in real life, I’ll just leave you to your folly.
What’s your favorite emoji and why?
It changes a lot. And I think now it’s the emoji of the man lifting weights. I think that’s the one I currently use. Before it used to be black heart, at some point, It was the upside-down serious face. I just find it funny. There’s no particular reason.
Are you particular about your feed?
Yes, I am very particular. I curate my feed. I don’t follow nonsense – blogs, things that are not going to inspire me, people probably saying rubbish all the time, or people posting nudity and all that.
YouTube or TikTok? Which do you prefer and why?
YouTube, YouTube, YouTube! What’s TikTok? What’s that? YouTube is like my classroom. It’s where I’ve learned everything I know, to a large extent. So why would I pick TikTok? I’m not even a fan of TikTok that much. I only go there when I want to see funny videos. Apart from that, you hardly find me there. I think there’s a lot of social media for one person, to now add TikTok to it. I’m on TikTok o, but I can’t remember using it actively.
Which Nigerian creator do you think the world needs to see and hear more of?
Salem King. Shout out to Salem King
Who is the coolest person you follow and the coolest person who follows you?
I have many cool people who follow me so I don’t know who the coolest is. I think I’ll just mention my friends, the coolest person I follow is King Ebuka. The coolest person who follows me? There are quite several celebrities who follow me based on my work, so I don’t know.
What is your favorite Nigerian podcast?
Now you want to put me in trouble cause I shoot different podcasts for different people. I think I’ll give it to I Said What I Said. The second one I like is Zero Conditions podcast.
Have you ever hooked up with someone you met online?
No, I haven’t. I’m a Christian please, I don’t do such.
5 people you’d love to see answer these questions
Kind Ebuka, Stephany Olayy, Oluremi Martins, Fedworks, Gaise Baba
Read previous Obasanjo’s Internet entries here.