Obasanjo’s Internet – Zara Bryne

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, content creator, Zara Bryne, talks to us about how she uses Obasanjo’s Internet. 

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

The first thing I do when I wake up is take my dog out to potty because she’s the one who wakes me up. And then I come back in, check my phone, then get ready for the gym.

How do you use the internet for work or pleasure?

 For both, pretty much. Well, at this point, mostly for pleasure because I use it to keep in touch with my friends, find out what’s going on in the world, TikTok, et cetera. But I mean, there’s a work aspect given that I am a content creator, so to speak, and it’s something that I guess I see as work now. I use it to put out my deliverables for whichever brand deals I may have or any sponsored posts I am supposed to deliver at a particular time. Also on the other hand, because I work in advertising, I use the internet to research what brands and companies are currently having campaigns. Whether it’s on YouTube or just sponsored posts on Snapchat. It’s good to be able to see what brands are currently advertising and then be able to pitch my company’s services to them.

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

The thing that comes to mind happened in 2018, I think. There was a whole trend where slimmer women were saying they had fupas and things like that. And then I posted a picture with my fupa saying “I have a flat tummy.” I got a lot of backlash for that and I was like, “ok, but I thought we were doing word and opposite.” It just shows that people are unaware of how they portray certain things on the internet. The internet is not real for the most part and you can’t put too much stock into how people feel because, at the end of the day, people generally don’t realize when they’re being hypocritical. The internet just allows all these things to happen in one space so it seems like this is how everything is but it’s not. It was interesting to see that people can talk about how they look but I can’t because I’m bigger and I don’t like that. But, you know, that’s what the internet is basically.

Your favorite social media platform and why? 

I love TikTok. I’m not gonna lie. I can spend hours scrolling on TikTok and just laughing. I feel like the algorithm is so good. It knows what you’re going to like to see, it puts that on your For You Page and it keeps you there. I feel like it’s easier for people to be themselves on TikTok. It’s less curated or less uppity Instagram. TikTok feels like we’re just there having fun. Everybody is chilling and we’re laughing, it just seems a lot more casual and chill and I enjoy using it because of that.

I like Twitter but I think I use it less now that it is the way it is, but it can be funny sometimes. Nigerians are hilarious. Sometimes I don’t like being on TikTok because I don’t feel like hearing sounds. So I like using Twitter when I want to laugh but don’t want to hear sounds. On Twitter, I’m able to scroll and laugh in silence.

What was the last meme you saved?

I have a meme album even though I always forget to use the memes and it takes me so long time to find them. But yeah, the last one I saved was a tweet. 

I say that all the time because that’s very real.

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

Oh, yes. This was in 2021. Again, TikTok, right? I used to watch a lot of ‘What I Eat in a Day’ on TikTok and I was like, “Oh, I want to do my own.” And again, I had like zero followers. I think I was only following maybe two of my friends and I was like, “Well, let me do my own” it seems really cool. So throughout the day, I was filming what I was eating and then I did my quick little editing and even did the voiceover – everything on the same day – and then I just posted it randomly. I didn’t think people were going to see it because I guess I was also used to Instagram but anyway, I slept, I woke up and it was going crazy. So I put it on private cause I was like, “Oh, that’s wild. What is going on?” After an hour or two, I put it off private but then it kept going, to the point where Instagram carried it. It was very interesting to see because that was my first ever video on TikTok. It made me feel like I was meant to be doing something on social media because I’ve deleted a lot of Instagram accounts and come back and everything and whenever I come back, a lot of people resonate with whatever it is that I put out and I was like “Wait this is my first TikTok and this is how it’s going. Let’s try another one and then another one,” and then eventually I stopped doing what ‘What I Eat in a Day’ because it felt cliche. I’m fat, I’m eating like – it’s okay. But I just wanted to move into something I was more passionate about, which is fashion. But, yeah, that was my first viral moment, I guess. It was, it was interesting to see. I mean, it was cool. I won’t say that it was a negative experience.

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

It was the same tweet where I posted me and my fupa saying I have a six-pack. Somebody said “six packs of indomie” which is hilarious to me. It was funny, to be honest. I don’t put much stock in strangers’ opinions of how I look. But I thought the jokes were a little bit funny. I’m not even going to lie.

What rules do you live by on the internet?

I think the first thing is that I have set boundaries. I never speak about my friends or people I know personally in a negative light on the internet. That’s something I never do because you can’t come back from that. And that’s also another thing that I would not want my friend to do to me. So, regardless of how upset I am with someone, regardless of how terrible they made me feel, I’m not gonna start tweeting about it or telling a story time about it even if we’re no longer friends. Another rule I live by is that I don’t divulge intricate details of my life, for example, maybe who I’m dating, and what area I live in. Those kinds of things, because people are weird and I’ve experienced that firsthand with random strangers coming to me and explaining what my room looks my room and everything. 

I also don’t post in real time. So if I’m out with my friends doing something, I don’t post on my stories or anything until I get home. Like I said, people are very weird and this is me with a pretty small following. So I can’t imagine how those with larger followings can navigate that. But yeah, I don’t talk about my friends, my family, or people I know personally in a negative way on the internet. I don’t post in real time and I don’t divulge details about my life. I guess, it’s not easy when you are, you know, basically a lifestyle content creator because most of the time, successful lifestyle content creators kind of enable parasocial relationships with the audience. That’s kind of what it is like. That’s why people tune in because they want to know every single thing. We’re all amebos and that’s a sure way to grow if you’re gonna be gisting and telling everybody all your business. But I can’t do that. So, yeah, those are my very strict rules.

What is your guiltiest online pleasure?

Oh my God. I love ingrown hair removal videos. There’s this particular YouTuber, her name is Jada Kennedy. YouTube had given her a bunch of strikes for some reason and her account was removed but she has started her website and I pay $2 a month to watch ingrown hair videos. I swear it’s part of my subscriptions with my Apple Music. It’s there every month, no fail. Before, I was able to pay $10 a year but now it’s a monthly thing and I don’t play with that. It’s so relaxing and she also talks about her life or things that are happening while it’s going on. She’s the only YouTuber that I’ve been able to enjoy her videos. 

I used to like pimple popping and it’s cool but nothing beats ingrown hair removal, especially Jada Kennedy’s. Special shoutout to Dr Pops it on YouTube too. 

Would you say you have an online persona?

No, and yes. I believe in tact and diplomacy. So I would not say certain things online that I would say to my friends just because I am aware that it can be taken out of context and it might not be a very nice thing to say. So I would say my online persona is much nicer than I am. Not that I’m a wicked person, but I just think that not every opinion should be shared on the internet. So for the most part, if I feel like an opinion is going to garner a lot of outrage or attention for unnecessary reasons, not like it’s anything crazy, but I’m not trying to end up on a gossip blog – you know how it is, they just take one sentence and run with it. So yeah, I would say that my online persona is that I try to be a lot more tolerant and nicer because people are not very nice but you know, you just have to smile and wave, I guess.

What’s your favourite emoji and why?

My favorite emoji is the one where it’s blushing with its hand its mouth because that’s literally always me. I’m always blushing and my hand is just covering my mouth. So I like that one. It’s a very good one. Or the laughing crying one. 

Are you particular about your feed?

No, not really. Honestly, I don’t believe in curated feeds. I just think it tends to look very monotonous. So I just post whatever. I think it looks ok so far. I’m not unhappy. I’m more particular about my post than my feed. 

Youtube or TikTok? Which do you prefer and why?

TikTok. Again, I only watch YouTube for my in-grown hair removals and things like that. But TikTok for the most part because like I said, it’s more casual, it’s more fun. It makes me laugh.

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

Oh my God. @Fee_gaa on TikTok. He vlogs and he’s in the University of Benin or something. I think his vlogs are the funniest thing ever. I like his vlogs because they are so realistic. They really represent an average Nigerian life. And I think the way he also narrates his voiceovers are very funny. I love watching them.

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

There’s one, her name is Esther Burden. She is a fitness content creator. I’m not really into fitness content creators. But I love how she approaches working out and fitness. I just think she’s also a cool person. She’s definitely a creator I would really ride with because I love her videos. They make fitness so accessible and it doesn’t put too much emphasis on how you look or a certain type of stomach or booty or anything like that. She’s just so relatable and down to earth. Her workouts are really good as well. And the other cool person that I follow is this girl on TikTok called Political Baby. She gives the most well thought out, intelligent, and articulate analysis of different facets of patriarchy or different topics in our society. I think she’s so smart. I love her videos. She analyzes them with so much depth, knowledge and nuance. I’m just like, wow. There’s nothing that she has said that I have ever disagreed with. So I really, really like her.

The coolest person that follows me. I don’t think there’s any celebrity or anything that follows me anywhere, but when I see cute girls or baddies and they’re like “Oh my God, I follow you on TikTok” I’m like “Really?!” It makes me feel good. So all the girlies that follow me are all super cool. I love them. 

What is your favorite Nigerian podcast?

Honestly, I don’t really listen to podcasts. However, I went to the I Said What I Said live show in December and those girls are hilarious. But funny enough I’ve never listened to any of their episodes before then and I don’t think I’ve listened to anyone after but if they were doing a live show in Lagos, I would go. 

Oh actually. Let me not lie. I like Temi Otedola and Mr Eazi’s podcast. That one, I listen to everything. That was one podcast I finished and I’m always checking if they have more episodes. The conversation just seems cool and I guess I’m also an amebo. I want to know what’s going on.

Have you ever hooked up with someone you met online? Did you regret it? 

Yes and yes. Men? You’ll always regret it. 

5 people you’d love to see answer these questions 

Political Baby, Amara Don, Arit Etim, Timi Thomson and Yoyo.

Read previous Obasanjo’s Internet entries here