@Ebuka’s Shrine: Verified By Twitter @IamDencia

“Don Jazzy needs to wash his head! At this rate, Tweetoracle will get verified by twitter before him.”

That was one of the many ignorant tweets by a few Nigerians on twitter in reaction to the news that “singer, designer and actress” (that’s what she says in her bio so don’t ask me) Dencia’s account had been verified by Twitter. There was a lot of outrage and it was funny for the most part. Yes, it is okay to be surprised since no one saw it coming. But the outrage was quite hilarious and unintelligent for the most part.

For some reason, Nigerians (and most of the world I must say) see verification as a certification that one has arrived. Fair enough, since the rules for verification say that accounts could be verified if a person is being impersonated or is likely to be. But people also seem to forget that impersonation is not the only reason. It is possible to get verified by twitter simply to authenticate your account, whether you’re a celebrity or not.

While all that went on, a few other artistes, Ice Prince, Brymo and Jesse Jagz got verified too and it seemed like a celebration galore kicked off. Now for me, as funny as the attacks on Dencia were, the celebration of the Chocolate City boys’ verification was even funnier. At some point, you would have thought that Nigeria had won an Olympic gold (in verification) or something. Why the extra excitement?

A search of verified twitter accounts around the world would throw up some of the most random names possible, making it obvious that verification doesn’t make one anymore of a celebrity than they already are. Same way a search of famous people who are not verified would leave you astounded. Kid CuDi (@ducidni) comes to mind here.

I don’t see why a Banky W, Don Jazzy or MI Abaga should cry over not being verified. We have followed them on Twitter for years and know who they are and what their real accounts are. Yes, verification makes things clearer but I doubt that their non-verification has left us conflicted about whom they really are. But yeah, 2Face Idibia definitely needs verification though. Dude has opened about 3 accounts on his own alone in the last couple of years; besides the many other parodies that constantly spring up.

Wizkid isn’t verified. It hasn’t stopped Akon, Young Jeezy, Tinie Tempah, Wale and many more from communicating with his unverified account. Clearly, there’s no conflict there. It hasn’t made him less of a pop star (he’s a pop artiste right? Right???) than he already is. Verification won’t add a lot to that either, even if that does not mean he shouldn’t get verified if he wanted to.

My point here is simple; the blue tick is clearly an extension of our love for status and material accomplishments over all else. Of course I have been guilty a few times so I’m in no place to judge. But seriously, making verification the condition for ranking celebrities is a little absurd.

And oh, isn’t Dencia Cameroonian? ‘Cos I also saw a tweet about her being the 5th Nigerian celebrity to be verified on Twitter; that’s besides the fact that there were more than 4 verified Nigerians at the time anyway making that a stupid tweet to even quote here.

Oh well; as you were…