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Nigerian singer and music executive D’Prince has spoken out against the growing culture of cyberbullying in the country’s entertainment industry, warning that online harassment is gradually becoming a profitable business model for some digital platforms and content creators.
The artiste, whose real name is Charles Enebeli, shared his concerns in a lengthy post on X, where he criticised what he described as the deliberate monetisation of controversy, targeted attacks and sensational narratives across social media and podcast platforms.
According to D’Prince, many online creators now appear to build their platforms around conflict and negative publicity because outrage often attracts views, engagement and financial rewards. He expressed concern that the trend is becoming dangerous, especially for creatives who are already battling pressure from the demands of the entertainment industry.
The Mavin Records executive explained that entertainers face enormous emotional, financial and mental stress while trying to remain relevant and continue earning a living from their craft. He argued that the increasing culture of online attacks only worsens the burden many public figures already carry privately.
“Cyber bullying has increasingly become a dangerous business model in Nigeria, to the extent that some podcasts and media platforms are now created primarily to monetise paid narratives, controversy, and targeted online attacks,” he wrote.
D’Prince stressed that the entertainment industry is already highly demanding, with many artistes and creatives constantly under pressure to survive financially while maintaining their careers and public image.
“Creatives already face immense pressure simply trying to survive, sustain their careers, and continue doing what they love in order to put food on the table,” he added.
The singer maintained that no amount of internet attention or viral engagement should come at the expense of a person’s mental wellbeing, dignity or emotional health.
“No amount of internet clout is worth an artist’s mental health, dignity, or emotional wellbeing,” he stated.
According to him, some online attacks are no longer random criticism but are carefully orchestrated campaigns fuelled by propaganda, engagement farming and financial interests. He warned that such behaviour is becoming increasingly toxic within the digital media space.
“No creative deserves coordinated hate fueled by propaganda, engagement farming, or paid online agendas and this extends beyond entertainment to every sector operating within the social media space,” D’Prince wrote.
The music executive further called for improved professionalism, accountability and ethical standards within journalism and digital content creation. He argued that the current online climate has allowed cruelty and toxic behaviour to flourish under the guise of entertainment and freedom of expression.
“We urgently need greater accountability, professionalism, and humanity in modern journalism and digital media culture in order to curb the growing wave of toxic fanaticism online,” he said.
While acknowledging that people have the constitutional right to express their opinions freely online, D’Prince urged Nigerians to become more mindful of how their words and actions affect others emotionally and psychologically.
He warned that many social media users often fail to recognise when harmless jokes or online banter cross the line into cyberbullying and emotional abuse.
“As we all continue to exercise our constitutional right to freedom of speech, we must also remember that there is a very thin line between online banter and cyberbullying,” he noted.
Ending his message on a reflective note, D’Prince appealed for more empathy and compassion online, reminding people that many individuals are silently struggling with personal battles unknown to the public.
“Let us choose empathy over cruelty, because every single person is fighting battles the world may never see,” he concluded.
His comments have since sparked conversations online, with many fans and social media users agreeing that cyberbullying has become a major issue in Nigeria’s entertainment and digital media landscape.
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