Clout chasing has become a trait that is synonymous with Nigerian Youths fondly called the Gen Z. In a bid to trend online or gain popularity, some of them go-ahead to post false information about incidents that never occurred. It is strongly becoming a menace in Nigeria, most especially in the online space where some Netizens have made it a norm to chase clouts on the net.
These clouts chased, clearly indicate that a large number of Nigerian youths have not gotten themselves abreast with the country’s constitution. They do certain despicable things without knowing that such action goes contrary to certain laws enshrined in the Nigerian Constitution.
Earlier this year, a lady named Omotoyosi with the Twitter handle @_misteriouss raised a false alarm that she was kidnapped and raped, where she also shared the location. Nigerians, worried about the tweet, contacted the police who swung into action. The police got to the said location only to discover that the lady raised a false alarm.
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She later made a disclaimer that she was only chasing clout not knowing that the issue will escalate into something serious. She was however arrested by the police risking a jail term of two years. Raising false alarms is a very punishable offense, as anyone who does such is certainly ignorant of the Constitution.
In Nigeria, raising a false alarm falls under the category of a strict liability offense. The offender when tried can be punished for up to 6 months or more with imprisonment and a fine by the relevant laws. Also, not barely a month has passed, and there was a shocking revelation that was disclosed to the public that some Nigerian girls were sleeping with dogs, where they were paid huge amounts of money.
Recently, a lady shared a video on a popular sharing video application, TikTok, revealing how she slept with a dog and it was not a big deal, as she made a sum of 1.4 million naira just doing the act. It however got to her notice that the police have launched a search for her. The lady in question then released another video to disclaim that she was only “chasing clout” as she did not sleep with any dog for money.
However the police public relations officer, Muyiwa Adejobi disclosed that posting bestial-nature videos online won’t be tolerated by the force as they vow to apprehend the lady. According to the Nigerian Constitution, it was stated that the criminal code act and the penal code act of the Nigerian constitution criminalize sleeping with an animal, as it attracts up to 14 years imprisonment in Nigeria.
It is therefore pertinent to say that there is a strong need for Nigerian youths to get themselves abreast with the laws enshrined in the Constitution. Doing so will save them from constituting public nuisance as well as risking jail terms for “clout chasing” on certain punishable offenses.
In this sensitive period where the country is currently ravaged with so many problems, there is a strong need for the youths to be actively engaged in political affairs to also effect change in the society rather than chasing useless clouts.
Clout chasing has become a menace in this generation, some people want to be popular at any cost, notwithstanding the consequences involved. It’s high time the youths in the country desist from chasing clout as they might overstep boundaries without even realizing it and have themselves to blame.