Oshey, Baddest: On the Dangers of a Risky Lifestyle

I’ve always said I love looking into the lives of people and observing their actions, their lifestyle.

I have a confession. I am fascinated by Bobrisky AKA Okuneye Idris Olanrewaju. No, It doesn’t mean I love his lifestyle and support it, but I just don’t know why he is so entertaining to me. Known by his famous line ‘osheyyy barrdest’, Bobrisky has come to be a name which ignites pure amusement or pure hatred in the hearts of many. I am part of the former group, because:

• His lifestyle and decisions don’t really have any effect on me
• He is really something else, a character I have never come across before in my life.

Okay, let’s look at these things that make him stand out (not in a positive way):

• He used to be dark skinned, but bleached himself into oblivion and now is super-white.
• He has a ‘bae’ who supplies him with money, a bae whose identity has been kept secret until now, with much speculation. He exchanges erm..favours with this bae and gets money in return. He does this, then claims he is not gay and plans to settle down soon (African aunty side eye)
• He twerks and whines on Snapchat
• He calls himself the king of Snapchat
• Last but not least, he does all these things.. while being a Nigerian.

The last point is simply the foundation of my fascination. The fact that Bobrisky is still alive and can move around Lagos and other states in Nigeria is amazing. I haven’t really watched his updates since he returned from the USA a few weeks back, but he recently popped back into my mind when he was made brand ambassador for a hair line.

I read the comments, and a lot of people were angry (of course). Some commented on the fact that hair is for women, and making a man a brand ambassador was simply counter productive. True, but at the end of the day, they’ve chosen him and are probably trying to use his ‘fame’ to their advantage. 

He’s gotten a movie endorsement, and also recently deleted his Snapchat, going premium at which you pay N10,000 to view his snaps.

The Risky Lifestyle

Bobrisky, like his name suggests, lives a risky lifestyle. I have watched his Snapchat stories for quite a bit, and I have experienced shock and amusement at different intervals. Whether it’s his ever-filtered photos and videos, regular visits to ‘bae’, his cooking tutorials, club appearances or rants for the ‘haters’, he is truly an entertainer and a strong businessman, If I may add (I mean, he created a whole new persona, he called it Bobrisky, and he’s in the news now and then. He monetised Snapchat, now getting paid to put advertisements e.g. music videos, and also hair and makeup services. You have to seriously admit, Idris is pretty smart).

However, when I see these things, I feel a sense of sadness.

Bobrisky has actually gotten a lot more than most, having opportunities that most can only dream of. He’s got a house, new car, travelled to the UK and the USA, been paid to make appearances and such. These are things some people are wishing for but cannot get. His lifestyle might even appear glamorous to some – repeated nail and hair changes, constant shopping trips, travelling internationally. However, I always ask myself where this will all end.

He’s in his late twenties, and his lifestyle so far has been shaped by this “bae”, who he appears to be in an abusive relationship with. Some of us who have him on Snapchat have seen where this “bae” seized his car and locked up the house because he travelled to the UK, or the snaps where he cries on how his ‘bae’ maltreated him or whatever. Real or not, it’s just sad. When I look at this young man, or see his snaps at different places, I ask myself:

• What would happen to him if this “Bae” was to die?
• What if this “bae” had their identity exposed?
• What are the health implications of his lifestyle? It’s no news that bleaching causes a host of problems down the line, and Bobrisky is known for his extreme bleaching. What kind of health problems would he start being exposed to?
• Who are his family members? How do they feel about him and his lifestyle? If they support it, will they still be there if things go awry?
• If he was to lose everything today, how would he cope?

We see his snaps and don’t really know what goes on deep within his mind. I wonder if he’s actually happy with himself. I wonder if he has regrets, if he wishes he could turn things around. I wonder if he has thought of the future.

Bobrisky might be all popular now, but imagine him at the age of 30, 40, 50+! Where is he heading with this lifestyle? When I looked at snaps of him with other people e.g. at his house opening, at clubs etc. I felt sad, I wondered if these people actually like him or are just there for the benefits.

Lessons Learned:

• When you make decisions, always think of the long-term rather than focusing on the short term. Analyse them very carefully, analyse the possible effects, negative or positive, that you could experience.
• Work on your reputation and impact, what do you want to be known for? So far, it’s no news that he is no role model. If he was to pass away today, what would he be remembered for? Whose lives has he touched? Positive or negative?

Though he’s highly superficial, I actually kind of care for him. I don’t want to see his demise and I really hope he can somehow reach a moment of realisation one day. It’s never too late to turn his life around. You know, God loves him, and just like we’re not perfect, he isn’t perfect. If he was to ask for forgiveness, he’d be granted it.

Until then, I guess I’ll occasionally hear of him through news outlets whenever he takes the next controversial action.

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Ever heard of Bobrisky? Where do you think he’ll be in the future?