By Onono Onimisi Rafat
When I find myself in the company of young girls especially teenagers, there’s a piece of advice I never fail to share;
“Never bring yourself down to serve as an eye-service tool for any politician who hasn’t placed you on a meaningful payroll.”
Sadly, this culture is becoming normalized. Many young women, particularly single ones, have made it their daily assignment to post and praise politicians across social media platforms. men who don’t even know they exist. They treat it as a job, unaware that they’re slowly diminishing their own worth.
Think about it; You’ve been posting a politician’s photos for years.He doesn’t follow you back,You’ve never attended his events,You’ve never stepped into his home,No car, No appointment and recognition.
So why continue?
I see women shamelessly praise these political figures many of whom have looted public resources as if it’s a badge of honor. I call it what it is “barbaric and self-degrading
Let me be clear, the women who are actually benefiting from these politicians don’t post them online. They don’t announce their associations. That’s called class and discretion. Real connections don’t need hashtags.
And while you might think you’re aligning with power, you could be pushing real opportunities away. When a prospective helper or employer checks your profile and sees it littered with political content, they assume you’re already connected and possibly even financially settled. They move on.
Worse still, this behavior can be a turn-off to genuine suitors. Whether you believe it or not, men are observant and logical. Many will assume there’s an intimate relationship behind your overzealous posts. And once that assumption is made, your reputation suffers quietly.
I speak from a place of sincerity,I have never praised a politician on my page unless I was officially paid to manage a campaign. And the moment that contract ends, so does their visibility on my platform. Because that’s business not worship. Someone had advised I thread into the path of praise-singing in other to go far in my writing- I looked at the specimen and jerked my head. I already have a vision. And sooner, there will be Uhuru.
To every woman reading this,if you find yourself on this path, pause and reflect.
Learn a trade. Master a soft skill. Build your own table. Stop being a tool used in the background of someone else’s success story.
Your worth is far greater than borrowed power.
You don’t need to be seen praising people who can’t even recognize your face.
And if no one has told you today, let me remind you “You are enough.”
Onono writes from Bayero University Kano and can be reached via onimisionono54@gmail.com
