Nigeria’s corner of the internet is ablaze, and this time, Mark Zuckerberg is at the center of it courtesy of a throwback video that has Nigerians cringing, laughing, and side-eyeing in equal measure.
In the viral clip, celebrated filmmaker Kunle Afolayan is seen pitching the concept of content monetization directly to Zuckerberg, the brain behind Facebook and Meta.
Things were flowing smoother than chilled palm wine until they weren’t. Mid-conversation, the power supply abruptly cut out, plunging the room into an awkward, dim-lit pause that felt longer than a Lagos traffic jam.
Afolayan, with the casual charm of a man used to life's curveballs, shrugged and quipped, "This is Nigeria." That simple, almost weary phrase became the match that lit the fire.
Netizens have since been split right down the middle. Some took the moment in stride, laughing off the all-too-familiar power outage as painfully authentic. Others, however, weren’t so forgiving.
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Critics accused Afolayan of being unpatriotic, saying he embarrassed the nation in front of a potential investor - a CEO whose company could one day pour money, tech, and jobs into Nigeria’s creative economy.
The larger conversation bubbling underneath? It’s the same old wound that never quite heals: Nigeria’s battle with its image abroad, and the gnawing fear that even our brightest moments are always at the mercy of a flickering lightbulb.
At the end of the day, whether you see it as a harmless joke or a diplomatic faux pas, the video is a brutal snapshot of the Nigerian experience - beautiful, brilliant, and battling the basics.
And in classic Nigerian fashion, the debate rages on, powered not by NEPA, but by the undying electricity of social media.
See also:Prince William and President Trump Spark Suit Showdown at Pope’s Funeral.
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