Popular actress, content creator and brand influencer Oluwabukunmi Adeaga-Ilori, popularly known as Kiekie, has called on social media critics to stop using harsh criticism of creative works as a means of gaining attention and making money online.
Kiekie spoke on Tuesday at the QEDNG Creative Powerhouse Summit in Lagos, where she identified social media criticism as one of the growing challenges facing Nigeria’s creative industry.
According to her, criticism is important because it can help creatives identify areas where they need to improve. However, she warned that criticism becomes harmful when people deliberately attack creative projects simply to generate engagement.
“Critique, say what you must, but be mindful of how you say it,” Kiekie said.
She explained that unlike professionals in some other fields who primarily answer to their employers, creatives often have their work judged publicly by thousands or even millions of people online.
Kiekie said this public scrutiny can be useful when it is genuine and constructive, but becomes damaging when critics are more interested in views, reactions and financial rewards.
‘You’re Watering Down an Entire Industry’
The actress expressed concern that some online personalities now deliberately give extremely negative reviews of creative projects because controversial opinions can attract millions of views and generate income on social media platforms.
She argued that such criticism could eventually discourage investors from supporting creative projects if they repeatedly encounter negative narratives online.
“What you’re doing is you’re watering down an entire industry,” she said.
Kiekie, who identified herself as a professional fashion designer, urged social media users to consider the effort and resources that go into producing creative works before criticising them.
“What we do is to entertain doesn’t mean that it doesn’t take blood, sweat and tears from us,” she said.
She encouraged critics to remain honest while choosing their words carefully and ensuring that their opinions are aimed at improving the work rather than chasing online clout.
The content creator also noted that she has worked on social media for more than 15 years and remains a strong supporter of the platforms, despite the challenges they now present to creatives.
Kiekie was one of the panellists at the summit, which focused on the theme “What Creatives Need From Nigeria.”
Source: QEDNG Creative Powerhouse Summit.
