TV reality star and social media princess Kim Kardashian and
Nigerian
musician Dare Art Alade appear at the Love like a Movie concert
which
featured some of Africa's leading musical artists. For her
45-minute
appearance in the impoverished country, Kardashian earned $500,000.
Kim Kardashian:
Nigerians Overpaid Woman Who 'Panders to Easy Virtue' (Daily Independent,
Nigeria)
"Nigerians were taken aback at reports that for a passing 45 minute glance, she
was paid a $500,000 fee by the Nigerian sponsors of the event. We wonder what
celebrity value or quality the organizers of the Lagos event thought she would bring
that warranted inviting her at such a huge cost. ... But beyond money matters,
we are concerned about the psychological damage that the act of idolizing and
glorifying a character with such loose moral fiber does to our frustrated
younger generation."
On February 17, the Love
like a Movie concert was held at the Eko Hotel
Convention Centre and Suites in Lagos. The show was anchored by internationally-acclaimed
Nigerian music star Dare Art Alade.
Other top-rated acts like 2Face Idibia, 9ice,
Flavour, Banky W, Jozi, Waje, etc., also featured at the
much-publicized event at which tickets sold for as much as 100,000.00 naira [$632.71].
Promoters of the event went to town with news that Ms. Kim Kardashian, an
American reality TV star, was coming to Nigeria to co-host the show with Darey Art-Alade. This angle added much hype to the event,
as Kardashian's teeming Nigerian fans couldn't wait for
a personal encounter with their idol. Expectations among her fans were running
extremely high, particularly after Miss Kardashian herself confirmed on Twitter
that she was coming to co-host the show's red carpet with Dare Art-Alade.
News reports had it that Kardashian who is pregnant out of
wedlock by Kanye West, a leading American rap/hip-hop artist,
arrived in Nigeria on February 16 to prepare for the show. But on the day of
the event, she made just a brief appearance during the red carpet event wearing
a casual short black dress, had a group photo with some of the artists billed
to perform at the show, and then disappeared backstage. Then during the show itself,
she later re-surfaced, and with an impish grin and shrieking voice, she
bellowed into the microphone, “Hello Naija!”
and disappeared from the event for good.
In all, Ms. Kardashian spent about 40 seconds on the stage, and
a total of 45 minutes at the entire day's event. Although her fans were
thrilled to catch a live glimpse of her, many were disappointed when she didn't
co-host the show with Dare Art-Alade, as had been earlier advertised and
confirmed by her Tweet. And many Nigerians were taken aback at reports both in
the mainstream and social media that for that passing 45 minute glance, she was
paid a $500,000 fee by the Nigerian sponsors of the event.
For us, this transaction, which looked more like an expeditionary
dash for cash, gives rise to many unanswered questions. To wit: who and what is
Kim Kardashian? Before we attempt to situate her as a celebrity that can
positively influence and motivate our teeming youth, it is pertinent to
ascertain her status.
The little we have been able to ascertain is that this was a
girl who became popular not for any exceptional talent she possesses or other
good cause, but because she was involved in an Internet sex video that went
viral. The explicit content of the tape is better imagined than encountered.
Thereafter, she became notorious for jumping in and out of short-lived amorous
relationships with several men, including a recent marriage to one Kris Humphries that
lasted for a total of 72 days.
We also discovered that her entire family - mother, sisters,
step-sisters, brother, step-father, husbands and boyfriends - star
in a reality TV show called Keeping up
with the Kardashians - which is a programthat, because of its negative influence
on growing minds, U.S. first lady Michelle Obama is reported to have said she
will not allow her two young daughters - Malia and Sasha - to watch. In
addition, because of the amount of money involved [and to give a boost to their
reality show], her mother Kris
Jenner is said
to have prodded her to pose nude for Playboy
magazine, which is owned by the planet's leading Casanova - Hugh Hefner.
Posted By Worldmeets.US
Given the foregoing revelations about Ms. Kardashian, we wonder
what celebrity value or quality the organizers of the Lagos event thought she
would bring that warranted inviting her at such a huge cost. Beyond money
matters, we are concerned about the psychological damage that the act of
idolizing and glorifying a character with such loose moral fiber does to our
frustrated younger generation, which is in the direst need of both moral and career
counseling.
The point must be made that it doesn't matter whether the
money paid Kim Kardashian was from a private or public source, since even
private businesses are said to owe their survival to their local environments.
Hence, under the well-entrenched principles of corporate social responsibility
and sustainability, these organizations bear both a moral and legal burden to
their immediate localities.
star
in a reality TV show called 
