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🇳🇬 Nigeria /Culture & Society

Develop a thick skin to survive fame, advises Nigerian singer Timi Dakolo

From The Punch · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Nigerian singer Timi Dakolo advised aspiring public figures to develop resilience to handle the pressures of fame.
  • He shared a personal experience where a gesture of kindness towards a child was misinterpreted online, leading to rumors.
  • Dakolo stressed that fame makes individuals targets, necessitating a "thick skin" to navigate public scrutiny and potential scandals.

Nigerian singer Timi Dakolo has cautioned individuals seeking fame to brace themselves for the inevitable challenges that accompany public attention. He advised on his Instagram page that those who crave the spotlight must be prepared to endure rumors and scandals, emphasizing the need for resilience.

Grow a thick skin if you desire fame. You will definitely need it.

— Timi DakoloAdvising people who seek public attention.

"Grow a thick skin if you desire fame. You will definitely need it," Dakolo wrote. He explained that famous individuals often find themselves at a disadvantage, with the public scrutinizing their actions. "You can go to bed a happy fellow and wake up with news of you in some mess. And because you are famous, the odds are already against you. So people are always looking for who to drown."

You can go to bed a happy fellow and wake up with news of you in some mess. And because you are famous, the odds are already against you. So people are always looking for who to drown.

— Timi DakoloDescribing the harsh realities of fame.

Dakolo illustrated his point with a recent incident at an event where his interaction with a young child was misconstrued. He mentioned caring for a little girl who was reluctant to return to her mother, and he "parented her all evening." However, this act of kindness was twisted online, with some social media users falsely claiming he and the child were romantically involved.

Being in the spotlight makes you an obvious target. Grow a thick skin because being famous is a whole lot.

— Timi DakoloExplaining the vulnerability that comes with fame.

"I carried a little girl at an event; she just wouldn't go back to her mum,. So I parented her all evening. Next thing I saw online, Timi and his love child are inseparable," Dakolo recounted. He concluded by reiterating that being in the public eye makes one an obvious target, underscoring the necessity of a "thick skin" to manage the complexities of fame.

I carried a little girl at an event; she just wouldn't go back to her mum,. So I parented her all evening. Next thing I saw online, Timi and his love child are inseparable.

— Timi DakoloRecounting a recent incident of online misinterpretation.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Punch in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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