2 months ago
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Content creator, Ginikachukwu Uwayah, popularly known as Neekah, has 600,000 followers on Instagram and 100,000 followers on Facebook. She tells Naomi Chima about her career and other issues
What inspired you to start creating content online?
I started creating content because of my business. I produced and sold beaded bags, and I wanted more customers, so I thought of creating content, by way of making funny videos, and consequently attracting people to my page. When I started, people started patronising me.
Take us through your educational trajectory?
I studied Nursing at the Delta State School of Nursing, Agbor. I also attended St. Marks Primary School, Abagana; and Hez-dike Secondary School, Awka, Anambra State.
Tell us about your background
I am from Agbor in Delta State, but I was born and brought up in Anambra State, so I can speak Igbo fluently. I am the first child in a family of seven. My parents played significant roles in my life. They encouraged me a lot, and advised me. Their encouragement helped me get to where I am today.
How do you get ideas for your content?
I might just be lying down and I would just think of something funny and put it out there. I would then do something that would go with what I just thought about.
How was life before you gained prominence on social media?
I was just a regular girl, who worked as a nurse. After nursing school, I worked for a year in a private hospital in Delta State before I travelled to Abuja and started seeking for another job. I went to several hospitals, and I wrote some tests online, but I didn’t even get any feedback. I then started making beads and doing other things to make ends meet.
How did your parents perceive what you’re doing now?
At first, my dad wasn’t really happy with it because he spent a lot of money training me in school, especially through nursing school. So after I told him that I wanted to relocate to Abuja and get another job, he accepted. But, after a few failures in getting a job, I started my business, which he was aware of though he wasn’t happy about it.
What led you to bead making?
I had been doing it since I was in primary school. It was more like what I did for fun. When I joined Instagram, every time I went online, I saw a few beaded bags and felt it was something I could also do. So, I just bought a few beads and started creating mine. The first few ones I did, people admired it. Then I knew it could go a long way. That was how I started creating more bags.
Since you started creating content for your bead business, have you been able to sell to celebrities?
Currently, a lot of celebrities are following me on social media. But, only a few of them have patronised me. I don’t want to mention names. I believe most of them will tell their friends, and those ones will still patronise me.
How do you interface with your customers seeing that most of your orders are always online?
I don’t know if it’s peculiar to Nigerians, but people tend to have more trust in big brands. I don’t know if I should tag myself as a big brand but at this point, I believe I am big. I don’t talk rudely talk to my customers. I interact with them in a manner that suggests, ‘She can be able to do it, I can trust this person’. You know because a lot of them will come and say I’ve had a lot of what I ordered versus what I saw issues, but I don’t talk to them in a way that I’m rude. I talk to them in a very cool way.
I am a very shy person, and that is the major reason I use that face. Also, I feel that I don’t really have a funny face. I don’t look like what my image is online. So, I wanted something funny. I was scrolling through Instagram looking for various funny filters until I saw the particular one I now use. If I was using my real face, I wouldn’t be free to do what I’m doing.
What are some of the challenges you encounter as an influencer and content creator?
Influencing is about critical thinking. You have to come up with something that will make people laugh. Sometimes, I run out of ideas, so it could be quite challenging to think of creative ideas for content. Sometimes, I get headaches trying to think of something funny. To resolve that, I take a break, and come back refreshed.
What is the most significant experience you have had since you gained prominence?
Since I became popular, the most significant change I have had is how I approach social media, especially in terms of commenting on some posts online, especially on controversial issues. When I was not known and I commented, nobody said anything under my comment. But these days, whenever I comment, people would come to my posts and start bashing me. Some people would say things like, “I’m disappointed in you”, or “I respect you and did not expect this from you”. So, I now I choose the posts I comment on. If it is something funny, I can comment. I try as much as possible to mind what I say or write.
How do you deal with this newfound fame?
I feel good about it, though outside social media, just a few people know me, because I rarely post my real face online. I once wore my attire to a restaurant and people kept looking and pointing at me. I am a shy person and that kind of attention is not something I really need. I just want to be free whenever I’m outside. I want to be myself, and do whatever I want to do.
How do you deal with social media trolls?
I don’t like it when I see them trolling celebrities. I recently faced a backlash over one of my posts about Wizkid, and I quickly apologised. I dislike trolling and people that engage in it. I always try to protect my mental health. If you say anything negative under my post, if I don’t want to reply you, I would just block you. I block any negative comments under my post, because I don’t like stress.
How do you maintain originality?
First, there is nobody that wears the kind of outfit I wear. Coupled with my red hair, that is my signature look. No matter how many people wear that attire, I think if people see me, they will recognise me. That is the difference between me and other content creators. There is a lot of competition, but only one me.
Where do you see yourself in the next 10 years?
I want to be one of the biggest brands in Nigeria, known as a CEO and an independent woman.
Between being an influencer and a bead maker, which is your favourite?
I will choose Influencing, because it brings more money, and it’s not really time-exhausting. But, beading takes a lot of time; sometimes weeks, to make a particular bag, and that depends on the design. As for influencing, however, once I’m done creating a video and editing it, I would just post it and get my money.
At what point did you start making money online?
That was at the point when I had 100,000 followers on Instagram. It was then some of my followers suggested that I should start influencing, and make money. I initially struggled with it, because I did not want to place other brands above my business. But, when I thought deeply about it, I started influencing for other brands.
What role do you see yourself playing in impacting other young entrepreneurs?
I would like to be an inspiration for them to work harder and build their brands and themselves, and make money online.
Being a nurse, entrepreneur and content creator, I believe I would be able to inspire people to go to school, and still do other things for themselves outside their course of study.
What advice do you have for up-and-coming content creators?
Use your talents to make money online. You don’t have to say because you studied Medicine, for example, you must work in a hospital. You can be a doctor and still own a business. My advice is that you should create content and promote them.
How do you deal with stress?
I sleep and watch movies. I am not really an outdoor person, and I don’t have a lot of friends. Whenever I am stressed and need to relax, I either sleep, eat, watch movies to get myself back in order.
How do you balance being an entrepreneur and a content creator?
I make bags at night and create content during the day. I don’t have workers. I carry the burden alone for now.
What are your thoughts on how children, teenagers, and youths use social media?
My advice is that parents should try to keep their kids off social media until they come of age. A 16-year-old child can have a phone, but it should not be connected to the Internet.
Anything they need to learn should be done in school. They should also be taught what is right and wrong, as regards their conduct online.
How has content creation and influencing changed your life?
I rarely have time for myself. I am either creating content or making new bags. Prior to now, I used to have a lot of free time to do whatever I wanted, but those days are long gone.
How do you deal with attraction from the opposite sex, seeing that you are still single?
When I say I’m single, it does not mean that I’m not in a relationship. However, that doesn’t stop attraction from other men, considering that one is popular online and rich. The last time I got an advance from a man was last year when he texted me that he likes me. I told him respectfully that I was in a relationship. I always set the record straight on the first meeting. If you are for business, fine; but for something else, I am not available.
Are you open to collaborating with other content creators?
It’s not like I am not interested in collaborating with other content creators, and I have actually got a lot of requests. But, I’ve not reached out to anyone. I’m not really an extrovert, so I prefer going out alone. But, I’m working on meeting people, and collaborating with other content creators.
What are your last words to your fans?
I just want to say a big “thank you” to them. Whenever I post any video, they are always commenting, sharing, liking, and putting positive comments out there; giving me the morale to do more. I am grateful to my fans, followers and everyone else for their support.
