Comedian and actor Ayo Makun popularly known as AY, has urged Nigerians to resist the allure of social media comparisons, cautioning that much of the online content they admire is staged and far from reality.
In a video posted on Instagram, AY highlighted how platforms often showcase distorted images of luxury lifestyles, exotic vacations, and designer fashion, creating an illusion of effortless success.
AY revealed that many influencers and content creators fabricate their wealth and happiness, resorting to borrowing clothes, snapping photos in hotel lobbies to pass them off as homes, or posing with cars that aren’t theirs.
He described social media as a movie set where curated posts mask the truth, urging fans to prioritise personal growth over chasing unattainable ideals.
“Many of these people you envy are living on borrowed wigs, borrowed outfits, and borrowed lifestyles. Some take pictures in hotel lobbies and call them their new homes, while others pose with cars that don’t belong to them. Social media is like a movie set; not everything you see online is real,” he said in part
In his caption, AY reinforced his message, noting social media pressure is real and that too many people are trying to keep up with lives that don’t even exist.
He pointed out that followers see the highlights but not the hustle, the smiles but not the struggles, stressing that peace of mind outweighs online validation.
He encouraged living one’s truth rather than a filtered version of someone else’s.
AY advised his followers to grow at their own pace, stay true to themselves, and embrace contentment over comparison.
“Social media pressure is real. Too many people are trying to keep up with lives that don’t even exist. You see the highlights but not the hustle, the smiles but not the struggles. Remember, peace of mind is greater than online validation.
Live your truth, not the filtered version of someone else’s,” he stated.