Anezi Okoro’s 1972 novel, “One Week One Trouble” best gives us a glimpse of the unending weekly drama we witness today especially on social media. In the book, Wilson Tagbo, a boy who got admission into secondary school, jumped from one trouble to another, starting from his first day. Just like the title suggests, no week passes by without Tagbo getting in trouble.
As it was in the book mentioned above, there is literary no week that passes these days without tongues wagging over an issue that may or may not have been premeditated – now it is the turn of Esther Raphael. Who is next? Only time will tell. Often than not, negative issues spread like wild fire.
Social media especially the X platform, formerly known as Twitter, is currently in flames over the nauseating erotic video of a popular TikToker, Esther Raphael.
In the video, the 23-year-old Calabar-born TikToker can be seen using her two middle fingers to simulate herself, while licking her fingers on a bed. The lady, whose countenance says she was drowned in sexual pleasure while in the act, didn’t seem to hold back in a bid to drive herself to ecstasy.
According to multiple reports, the TikTok star is said to have been blackmailed by some guys about a year ago, who decided to leak her video because she didn’t agree to their terms.
Though she is yet to make any statement as of the time of filing this article, it was reported that Esther sent her nude video to her boyfriend and it was meant to be seen just once. However, the boyfriend reportedly recorded it with another phone. In the process, other boys got the video and demanded money to keep it secret. Esther refused to yield.
THE ISSUES
Regrettably, while I empathize with Esther and this unfortunate incident that may nose-dive her career, there are questions that need to be asked and the need for the rest of us, ‘whose backlash turns are yet to come’ to learn our lesson.
Everyone has the right to do with their bodies what pleases them as long as their conscience permits them, (off course, in defiance to the principles of Christ), but what is the essence of recording such moments? Is it for you to score yourself? Is it to resort to it when in a certain mood? It is for clout chasing or for public show of shame?
Though love can make people do certain things they, ordinarily, cannot do with clear eyes, there have been too many cases of people being victimized over nude pictures and videos so, one would expect that we, especially the educated folks become wiser.
The most horrifying fact about these trends is that when it is your turn, those who are doing worse in their privacy will nail you to the cross with their circumcised and uncircumcised tongues. The ferocity with which a victim is pounced on, on the X platform, you would think that every other person is a saint but the victim. But, would you blame them? Those who are not able to conceal their sins will certainly get their judgement from social media.
One of the most significant dangers of sending nudes is the risk of privacy breaches. Once an image is shared electronically, it can be difficult to control who has access to it. Images can be screenshot, shared without consent, or even end up on public platforms, leading to embarrassment, harassment, and potential harm to one’s reputation.
The digital world has given rise to the phenomenon of “revenge porn” or non-consensual distribution of intimate images. Disgruntled ex-partners or malicious individuals can exploit the vulnerability of shared nudes, leading to emotional distress, humiliation, and legal consequences.
Sending nudes can inadvertently expose individuals to cyberbullying, harassment, and online abuse. Once images are in the digital realm, they can be used as ammunition to manipulate, threaten, or coerce the sender into unwanted actions.
And sadly, images shared online can leave a lasting digital footprint. Even if you delete an image, it might still be recoverable through various means. This can have implications on your future personal and professional life, as potential employers or acquaintances may discover these images.
Before sending a nude image, take a moment to reflect on the potential consequences. Once an image is out of your control, it can have far-reaching effects.
Above all, a deviation from God’s order is the reason we continue to shoot ourselves in the foot and drag ourselves in the mud. Obedience to God’s words will not only take us to heaven but also save us from all these nauseating drama. It is worrying that we have gotten to a point where people sin with their full chest and have those anomalies recorded. How do you explain it that a fellow is fornicating, masturbating, killing, stealing etc. and having the act recorded? Seared conscience.
Except we return to God’s order and use scriptures to mirror our lives, it will continue to be one week, one saga. Now it is the turn of Esther Raphael. Who is next? Only time will tell.
Stanley Ugagbe is passionate about effecting change through writing. He can be reached via ugagbestanley@gmail.com
