Life is not always as perfect as people make it appear online.
Behind the smiles, pictures, fame, and daily posts, many people are quietly fighting battles nobody can see.
Some are struggling with health challenges.
Some are dealing with emotional pain, depression, loneliness, fear, or exhaustion while still trying to show up every day. Yet instead of compassion, society sometimes rewards them with mockery, pressure, and bullying.
What makes it even sadder is that many people only become kind after tragedy happens.
Celebrities may live in the public eye, but they are still human beings. They feel pain. They get tired. They break emotionally. They carry burdens privately just like everyone else.
Not every silence means pride.
Sometimes, people stay quiet because they are trying to survive emotionally while holding themselves together.
Sadly, social media has made it easy for people to forget that words can be wound deeply.
When Silence Becomes a Battle: Nigerians Need More Empathy, Not Just RIP Messages
By Omolola Talkstv
The conversations surrounding Alexx Ekubo have left many Nigerians emotional. Not only because of who he is to the entertainment industry, but because his story has reopened an uncomfortable conversation about pain, silence, public judgment, and the way society treats people who may be struggling internally.
For years, many people noticed his reduced presence online. Questions came. Rumours followed. Assumptions spread across social media. Like many public figures, his personal life became entertainment for strangers who knew nothing about his private battles.
Sadly, this is something that happens too often in our society.
Many Nigerians are quick to mock people online without understanding what those individuals may be facing emotionally, mentally, financially, or physically behind closed doors. Social media has created a culture where everybody feels entitled to judge another person’s life from a distance.
People forget that celebrities are human beings, too.
Over the years, different narratives were created around Alexx Ekubo’s life, especially after his engagement was called off. Some people turned his private situation into jokes. Some mocked his personality. Others pushed harmful assumptions and bullying into comment sections without considering the emotional weight a person may already be carrying.
This is one of the reasons empathy is becoming rare in society.
Many people only become soft after tragedy happens. That is when the “Rest in Peace” messages begin. That is when people suddenly remember kindness. But true humanity is not about showing love after somebody breaks down publicly or passes away. True humanity is learning to treat people with dignity while they are still alive.
Not every smiling person is happy.
Some people laugh loudly while battling depression. Some encourage others while secretly exhausted. Some reply with “I’m fine” because they do not want to become a burden to anybody else.
And sometimes, silence is not pride. Silence is survival.
Reports and conversations from people close to Alexx describe him as calm and gentle, and someone whose smile could light up every room he entered. Yet, like many people fighting internal battles, he reportedly kept responding with the same words: “I’m good.” “I’m fine.”
How many Nigerians are doing the same thing today?
This moment should teach us something deeper as a people. We must stop turning human suffering into public entertainment. We must stop bullying people simply because they are public figures. We must stop assuming we know somebody’s full story because of what we see online.
Yoruba culture teaches humanity. It teaches compassion. It teaches us to value dignity and emotional balance within the community. A society without empathy slowly loses its humanity.
At Omolola Talkstv, we believe culture is not only about history, kingship, language, and tradition. Culture is also about how we treat people when they are vulnerable. It is about kindness. It is about emotional responsibility. It is about remembering that every human being carries unseen burdens.
May this moment remind Nigerians to become softer with one another.
Because many battles are invisible.
And sometimes, the people saying “I’m fine” are the ones hurting the most.
May his soul rest in perfect peace.
And may he find peace with his Maker.
We also extend our heartfelt condolences to his wife, mother, siblings, friends, colleagues, and everyone he left behind during this painful moment.
May God grant them strength, comfort, and healing in the days ahead.
At times like this, words may never feel enough, but kindness, prayers, and empathy still matter.
~ Omolola Talkstv
