Celebrity Evans

Several weeks ago the media was awash with stories of a certain Evans (Chukwuduneme Onwuamadike) who was known as a kidnap kingpin and dubbed the biggest and richest kidnapper in the land. He had evaded arrests and had a field day beating security agencies in their own game. How he managed to pull this off is a story for another day.
The media in their attempt to make profitable headlines and increase readership online and paper kept reporting him and even ran commentaries on mundane things such as his dressing while in detention. Some made documentaries on his wealth and opulence. The volume of information at the disposal of the public was alarming that at a time it seemed the public knew even more than even the Inspector General of Police and/or Head of the taskforce team Abba Kyari that arrested him. Everyone suddenly became an authority on the Evans story. Everyone suddenly knew something about him or at one time or the other claimed to have interacted with him.

Nollywood Movie Cover inspired by the Evans story

Evans.
Source: Sahara Reporters

He was so reported that his lifestyle became a thing of envy among a lot of Nigerians especially the youths. Little wonder some begged for his release. Just recently there was a report of a botched kidnap attempt inspired by the wealth of Evans.

The media in an attempt to drive traffic their way selfishly celebrated a criminal and made him a hero. The media failed to give attention to the lessons quick wealth, criminality and illegality. A case that is still being investigated already has a Nollywood movie to its credit. Ordinarily the case should have been conclusively investigated and charged to court before all of the information put out are being fed to the public. 

This can hamper the chances of a thorough investigation. There is also the danger of media trial and sentiments and even a potential threat to the security agents involved in the case investigation. We should not forget in a hurry the case of Vampire who brought to life scenes from a Hollywood movie. 

Nigerians woke up one morning to a very sensational headline declaring Evans missing in police custody. that is a very sensitive issue that should not have been used for commercial gains because reading the headline alone was enough to discredit a police force that had worked so hard in cracking a case, an action which made so many families heave a sigh of relief.

Kids get fascinated by what they see and hear constantly and with trends, many would wish to have such wealth and the means will mean nothing to them as long as it gives them their heart desires. PR practitioners even tried their hands on some media gimmicks playing the family card by releasing video of his wife and kids crying and begging for his pardon and release. Wonders they say shall never end, after all, a lawmaker is trying to smuggle in amnesty for treasury looters; why won't all sorts of crimes enjoy amnesty? Maybe we should do away with the laws of the land. Evans is the newest and latest celebrity thanks to our media.

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