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, fashion designer, Opara James (aka The Opara Boy), talks to us about how he uses Obasanjo’s Internet.
What’s the first thing you do when you wake up?
Almost every day, the first thing I do when I wake up is pray. I joined this session online called NSPPD which runs from 7:00am to about 8:30am. So for 1 hour 30 minutes, I’m praying. After that, I get on my phone to check my notes for what I’m supposed to do for the day and then I get to it.
How do you use the internet for work or pleasure?
I would say for both. They are both intertwined because I derive pleasure from work.
What moment or episode in your life would you say captured the essence of the internet?
I have two instances, work related and personal. For work: I went for the 2017 Lagos Fashion Week as a random person – I wasn’t in the fashion scene at the time, and a picture of myself changed my trajectory in the fashion industry. The picture was featured on US Vogue, and it sort of brought me some recognition.
The personal one would be during the ENDSARS period. As someone who has been a victim of police brutality multiple times, it was personal for me. I was at the toll gate every day up until the sad ending. It was interesting to see how it went from just one person tweeting about an experience to it being a national movement. It showed what the power of the internet is and could be.
Your favourite social media platform and why?
I’ll say Instagram and Twitter. Instagram for work, Twitter for social pleasure and just to distress. I just get on there to see what’s happening and join the bants and the rants and all of that.
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 would say during the election period. I think I posted something about brutality because I was on my way to my polling unit and I saw some guys trying to brutalize someone. I posted it and it went viral. A lot of my tweets were going viral during that period. It was just an interesting thing to me because once it was getting out of hand, I just muted the conversation on Twitter.
It taught me that I had a thick skin because people came for me. I don’t really want to go into the details but you know the whole division when it comes to tribe, the political party you support, everything. It was a very volatile period. Some people came for me and I realized that my opinion is my opinion. I will do what I feel is right as long as I’m not trying to instigate hate or whatever.
I felt good because I felt like I could make an impact with as little as a post. It also showed me that you’re susceptible to backlash from anybody.
What’s the most outrage you have ever generated over something you posted? How did you react to it
Again, I think it was the election period. People were in their feelings a lot. The election period was personal and youths got a lot more involved, right? It was a period where we felt like it was either make it or break it, so people had strong opinions about things. It was an interesting time for me because, I was happy irregardless of the fact that people had different opinions – very strong opinions – and they were standing by it. It was also good to see that change is possible, you know, like real change is possible. It was a bittersweet period for me. Like I said, I posted things, I was very involved. I literally stayed at my polling unit till like 1 o’clock at a certain period and I was posting and posting and it was going viral and viral.
What rules do you live by on the internet?
Don’t take anything too personal.
What is your guiltiest online pleasure?
I just like to see who they are dragging onTwitter. I don’t get involved except it’s something I feel like I need to get involved in. But I’m just like, “ok, what are we dragging somebody about today?” And I just laugh at the sometimes funny opinions people have. Like I said, for me, Twitter is to distress. So when I get off work, I just take my sweet time and I’m like, “ok, catch up time. What’s happening?” And then you get to see some very funny takes and unnecessary drags – as I like to call them – and I would just be there laughing. Twitter drags and bants are my guilty pleasure
Would you say you have an online persona?
On Instagram, people see me and they think I’m very outspoken or social but I’m actually not. And then when they meet me in person they’d be like, “oh you’re so laid back and so calm” but we see you, we see your posts, and I’m like well, we all can be keypad warriors, hide behind our keypads and say whatever we want and just feel good about ourselves (in positive ways).
When I say keypad warriors, I’m not hiding behind my keypad. I’m posting how or what I feel like I should post at another time. But then people always say “you’re way more quiet in person than how we have visualized you” based on my Instagram posts. “You know, you’re always at events, you dress this way but then when we meet you in person, you’re just relaxed, laid back and not trying to be involved, not Chitty chatty, like you are behind keypads.”
What’s your favourite emoji and why?
The ‘love’ emoji because all of us are going through a lot. I just like to send love to people as much as I can. Your friends will tell you they’re going through this, Nigeria is Nigeria-ing. Just spread the love. One love a day keeps someone from going through a mental health scare or doing any suicidal shit. So yeah, the love emoji is my favorite one.
Are you particular about your feed?
On Instagram, yes, but I think my birthday this year I read something somewhere that said to “just live life” and that struck a chord with me. I was turning 28 and I was like, you know what, I’m just gonna live life. If I’m putting myself under so much pressure to post things a certain way, make it look a certain way then I’m just gonna be under pressure constantly. For Twitter, I curate my feed by not engaging with things I don’t want to see. If someone who I follow engages in those things, I mute. I don’t want to see things that will not align with where my head is at the time.
I tried to curate my Twitter feed based on what I want to absorb. I curated my feed a lot during the election because that election period was a trying time mentally for me. I mean, I did realize I had a thick skin, but I also realized that I could use my mute and my block button a lot. That saved a whole lot of mental gymnastics. You know how things just creep in based on what you consume on Obasanjo’s Internet and then you find yourself subconsciously thinking about those things. You can just block and mute the person and keep it moving.
YouTube or TikTok? Which do you prefer and why?
I like both, but I’ll go with YouTube because of educational and learning purposes. I’m a designer and I learned so much off YouTube. I mean, you could also learn on TikTok but I feel like TikTok for me is just – you get on there and your data finishes and you’d be like, “huh. What did I do?” It’s YouTube for me.
Which Nigerian creator do you think the world needs to see and hear more of?
I’m gonna be a vain person and say myself. But jokes aside, I have a couple of creative friends and think they all put in so much work into their craft. Style Connaisseur (Angel Obasi), they call her The Hat lady, Janet Ekpo, The Godwin Okoruwa, Camp Manuel and Nengi Adoki, a beautiful writer and actress. I would love the world to see more of their work.
Who is the coolest person you follow and the coolest person who follows you?
Rosario Dawson, who was in Star Wars. We met at GT Bank Fashion Weekend, I think in 2021/2022 – I’m not certain of the year – but she loved what I was wearing. I had already been following her because she also has some dealings in the fashion industry. She followed me back then, we shared one or two messages and decided to keep in touch for collaborations and whatnot.
What is your favourite Nigerian podcast?
I don’t listen to podcasts much. I pick up on what I see on Twitter based on little things but I’ll say I started listening to I Said What I Said because of FK Abudu’s involvement during the ENDSARS period. But I don’t follow religiously.
Have you ever hooked up with someone you met online? Did you regret it?
Yes, and no, I did not regret it. I don’t have regrets, I just learn lessons.
5 people you’d love to see answer these questions
The Godwin Okoruwa, Style Connaisseur (Angel Obasi), Nengi Adoki, Ekpo Janet and Uche Uba.
Read previous Obasanjo’s Internet entries here.