How old posts return to haunt Nigerian stars

In today’s digital age, nothing a celebrity says online ever fully disappears. Social media archives, screenshots, and reposts mean that even years-old comments can suddenly resurface, often reshaping public perception. Recently, Simi experienced this firsthand when her old tweets from 2012 resurfaced after she publicly spoke out against sexual assault. Some of the tweets were […]

In today’s digital age, nothing a celebrity says online ever fully disappears. Social media archives, screenshots, and reposts mean that even years-old comments can suddenly resurface, often reshaping public perception.

Recently, Simi experienced this firsthand when her old tweets from 2012 resurfaced after she publicly spoke out against sexual assault. Some of the tweets were described as perverted and obscene, prompting widespread discussion online.

However, Simi responded, saying that the tweets reflected her life at the time, not her current beliefs. She said that in 2012, she was 23 years old and actively working at her mother’s crèche while pursuing a singing career, adding that she tweeted candidly about her day-to-day activities at the time, including amusing or loving remarks about the kids she met with.

“Nothing I tweeted was from perversion. What I can’t let anyone do is twist my story to fit false narratives.”

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“I have always spoken against rape and sexual assault, even before you knew I existed. It’s not a costume I’m wearing… I said stop raping women. I stand by it.” She said.

In Nigeria’s entertainment sector, Simi’s experience is part of a wider movement, where celebrities are being held more and more responsible for statements they’ve made.

For instance,  on October 23, 2020, Burna Boy apologised for tweets that were perceived as insensitive during the height of the #EndSARS protests. He stated he “did not mean any harm” and was in a “dark place inside,” eventually deleting the controversial posts.

In July 2025, he formally apologised for his 2023 remarks, where he claimed Afrobeats “lacks substance”. During an interview with Eddie Kadi, he admitted that once again, he was “in a dark place mentally” at the time and apologised for the “confusion” caused by his attempt to distance himself from the genre.

Most recently, on November 19, 2025, Burna Boy issued a qualified apology on his Instagram Story after allegedly calling some of his fans “poor” or “broke”. He claimed he was “joking around with his band” and that his words were twisted, but added, “If I’m wrong about this, I sincerely apologise.”

In 2025, Wizkid personally visited Don Jazzy to apologise for a 2024 tweet where he referred to the Mavin boss as an “influencer” while shading rapper Ladipoe. After the industry-wide backlash, Wizkid deleted the tweet and later made amends in person.

He also visited Reekado to apologise five years after calling Reekado Banks a “clout animal” in a tweet during the #EndSARS protests. Reekado shared that Wizkid expressed sincere remorse for his “edgy” behaviour during that period.

In mid-2025, a controversial tweet made by the artist in 2010 surfaced. In the post, Wizkid had inappropriate comments about a 14-year-old girl, which were hurriedly deleted by his team.

In 2017, Mr Eazi tweeted that Ghanaian music has a great influence over present-day Nigerian music, which earned him a lot of backlash, with many fans, colleagues, and music buffs threatening to cancel him.  However, in 2023, Mr Eazi reacted to the backlash in an episode of the Afrobeats Intelligence Podcast hosted by Joey Akan, stating that he didn’t regret his statement despite the threats. He stated that to date, he had remained calm to many over the statement.

Toke Makinwa has also been frequently “called out” whenever she expresses a desire for a financially stable or supportive partner, as critics often resurface her older, more radical feminist posts to suggest she shouldn’t “need” a man if she is as independent as she claims.

In a recent episode of her podcast, Toke had stated that she wouldn’t mind being a 5th wife to a supportive partner. Many critics used the moment to resurface her older tweets and videos on feminism and female independence, accusing her of misleading young women into destroying their own relationships and marriages, only to now “beg” for a husband.

While celebrities clarify or apologise, talent managers stress there’s a fine line between accountability and harassment. Analysts argue this transparency can help maintain ethical standards, especially when the posts touch on sensitive issues like sexism, racism, or violence.

Speaking to Weekend Trust, an Abuja-based talent manager, King James said that “dig-ups” can serve as a form of accountability, especially in an era where public figures influence millions.  He said that old posts often reveal patterns of behaviour, thought, or insensitivity that audiences deserve to know about.

“Social media is a permanent record. When celebrities post statements that could harm or mislead audiences, revisiting them is part of holding them accountable,” James said.

However, James noted that there’s a fine line; when old posts are shared without context, or when years-old tweets from a young, evolving public figure are weaponised purely to shame or humiliate, it crosses into harassment.

“The key distinction is whether the intent is informing the public versus driving outrage or personal attacks,” he said.

Another talent manager, Brian Okafor said that as his focus is on reputation and career sustainability, he believes dig-ups can feel like harassment because even harmless past posts can resurface in ways that jeopardise brand partnerships, music releases, or public perception.

“We advise our clients to always anticipate that nothing online truly disappears. But using old posts to attack rather than engage in constructive discussion is unfair.”

“Before things spiral out of control. It’s always important to seek stress context and see their growth. Artists grow over past statements which no longer represent their current mindset. Which is why most times, we as managers advocate for controlled statements, public clarification, and proactive messaging rather than letting outrage spiral online,” he added. 

As old tweets continue to spark debate, fans across social media have shared mixed reactions, some defending the celebrities and others demanding accountability.

On X, thatfairskingirl wrote, “Celebrities influence millions, so if something harmful was said, we need to know. Accountability matters. Even if it’s old, we shouldn’t ignore it. People need to see consequences for words that could hurt others.”

LolaFAN99 said, “People are just hunting for old mistakes to drag celebs. Everyone grows; they shouldn’t be punished forever. Simi was 23 when those tweets were made; she’s clearly changed since then.”

Justchizzy wrote, “It depends. If it’s to learn or correct behaviour, fair. But if it’s just screenshots for clout and outrage, it’s cruel. I get that people make mistakes when young, and celebrities evolve just like the rest of us.”

Maurice_B said, “Honestly, I scroll through old tweets and cringe at things I said at 20. Imagine if someone dug them up now. Celebrities are humans, too. Let’s focus on their present actions, not just old words.”

Jesse Somto, who spoke to Weekend Trust, said, “It’s tricky. If the old post shows patterns of harmful behaviour and there’s evidence to support the facts,  hold them accountable and investigate. But if it’s just a joke or harmless comment, using it to attack someone is petty. Fans need to read the context.”