Nollywood actor Deyemi Okanlawon has appealed to Nigerians to stop mocking celebrities on social media, saying many people fail to understand the emotional and personal challenges that come with living in the public eye.
Speaking on the treatment of public figures, the actor said celebrities are often judged harshly by people who know little about the pressures they face. He noted that fame comes with unique struggles that are not always visible to the public, making online ridicule both unfair and unnecessary.
Deyemi also condemned the use of the word “yeyebrities,” a term commonly used to insult celebrities. According to him, looking down on another person’s achievements reflects poorly on the critic and could have consequences if someone from their own family eventually becomes famous.
He urged people to be more compassionate toward public figures, stressing that they are human beings with personal battles just like everyone else.
“I see people who have no idea what the challenge is that people in the spotlight are facing. They just come up with a lot of things. It’s sad to see. People even call celebrities ‘yeyebrities’ because I’m like, whatever you diminish in somebody else’s life, you can never achieve. So, let’s just pray that in your lineage, nobody finds their way into the spotlight, because if that happens, then you’ve opened up the door for such things to be said about them.”
