Lost Respect: From Hero To Zero

The importance of having someone you look up to cannot be overemphasized. Throughout our lives, we encounter people from different backgrounds who impact us and inspire us to become the better versions of ourselves. Whether it is people you meet in the physical world, or in the digital world, it is essential to have people to look up to- those who guide you toward achieving your goal. These individuals are called role models. Most times, our role models are our parents. When a child is born, their first friends are their parents, particularly their mother with whom they spend more time with. As they grow up, they watch and learn. Children are very inquisitive- they always have their eyes out ready to learn new things, which is why parents must be careful of the things they do because their children are constantly observing them. When parents are good, they impact their children in a positive way, and vice versa. For today’s Inleo prompt, the Sci-fi community asks us to discuss role models. What changed your perspective about the person you used to look up to?

Sometimes, appearances can be deceptive, which is why it is important not to judge a book by its cover. We might take people as our role models and admire them, only to find out that they are not really who they claim to be- that they are an entirely different person on the inside. This reminds me of a once famous Nigerian celebrity and influencer, Hushpuppi. Out of the blue, Hushpuppi rose to stardom, buying expensive clothes, jewelries, mansions, he even had his own private jet. He claimed he was a businessman, but everyone knew that wouldn't get him the kind of money he was flaunting.

A lot of people looked up to him, particularly musicians. They sang for him, saying they look up to him and would want to be like him. My classmates and I often discussed about him and his wealth. At the time, having money like Hushpuppi was like a dream come true. My classmates often said, “I would like to be right like Hishpuppi- buy a private jet and huge mansions.” Fast forward to 2020, we learnt that Hushpuppi was indeed no businessman, he was a fraudster. A scammer. Not just any scammer, but an international one at that.

Hushpuppi wasn't a regular scammer. With the things he did, I'm sure if he had channeled that energy to something positive, he would have been successful. He was that good. Unlike the regular scammers, Hushpupi targeted the elite. He altered a transaction between a Saudi Arabian club and a footballer. In the end, Hushpupoi was arrested in Dubai. The police found laptops, and other tools he used to scam people. Presently, Hushpuppi is in prison, serving his term. Someone who we looked up to turned out to be a Fraudster. Everyone, including the musicians who looked up to him were surprised and disappointed.

Well, lesson learnt. Don’t judge a book by its cover. Just because someone is flaunting their wealth doesn't mean they got it legally. Be careful of people you tag your role model.

Thanks for reading.