Taking That Step

My Complete Thoughts On Kim Kardashian In Nigeria

FEBRUARY 19, 2013 BY Raymond

Darey & Kim

Darey (Dare?) had a concert this past weekend in Nigeria. I have read a lot of blogs that reported on the event, and everyone (including people that commented) have said two things in common:

1.  The concert was beyond amazing. It was like nothing they have ever experienced.

2.  Kim Kardashian made no difference whatsoever AND she was on stage for like a few seconds.

When I wrote the piece “Lessons Hollywood Can Learn From Nollywood,” that was my way of highlighting some of the foolishness of Nollywood and Nigerian entertainment in general – for those who did not get that memo. And it’s not just Nollywood, but Nigeria as 

We have something going on with us where we – as a nation – would rather have anything that is NOT of Nigeria. We do not celebrate our own; we do not appreciate our own, and we do not just want our own.

I remember when I was in Nigeria and companies who made plastic would mark it as “Made in Holland” or something like that. Meanwhile, the plastic was made in Aba or wherever else. But they did that because they knew that people loved to see things made in other countries.

It has been a real eye opener for me here in America as Americans generally don’t appreciate products made in other countries to be sold here. When American-made products are advertised, they make sure to tell you that this is American-made. So why is it the opposite in Nigeria?

The same thing applies to our entertainment industry. Peeps are recruiting hosts from America, people who don’t know of or care about Nigeria, people who are just there to get their money. They are overpaid, underworked, and over-celebrated. Tell me, what do the likes of Morris Chestnut, Chris Brown,  Idris Elba, and Kim Kardashian have to do with Nigeria? Believe me, I am not at all hating on these people, but I just know  - and wish that everyone else recognizes – that these people do NOT care about us. Tell me, how many times has America invited ANYONE from Nigeria to come and host ANY kind of event?

When I heard about Darey’s event, I just kept asking myself, “What the hell is Kim K going to be doing there?” And people even paid to see her??? Why???????????????????? You don’t see her enough on television? Really, I’d understand why someone would pay to see the likes of Oprah, Beyonce, Stephen Spielberg, Simon Cowell, etc, but Kim K?? Why? You need tips on making a sex tape? Or tips on getting pregnant for the man that you are NOT currently married to? What?

It sounds like I don’t like Kim K, but that really isn’t the case. I’m indifferent. I just don’t know why we keep celebrating everyone but ourselves.  And when the celebrities come and give us less than whatever it is we were expecting, everyone is up in arms, wondering how on earth this could happen. We give them soldiers to protect them, follow them everywhere, and take pictures for Instagram. We pay them 20 times what we will pay our own, and they do one-twentieth of the job that our own will do.  They don’t know Nigeria. They don’t know Nigerians. They don’t know what the heck we’ve invited them for; all they know is the money. And who can blame them? If some country were to pay me $$$$$ to come to an event I don’t know and pose for a couple pictures, I would do it, too.

Look at this picture of Kim Kardashian and tell me that this is money well spent.

One of these people don’t look like the other

 P.S. And for the people blogging and saying that she looks “stunning” or “dazzling,” you need to stop with the ass-kissing already. We have all seen Kim K looking fab, and this isn’t a fab-looking Kim K. I’m not saying you should say she looks bad – and I don’t even think that she does – but quit with the lies,joh. Sick of all y’ll kissing ass.

Which way, Nigeria?