So yes, if you have a real job and make a living off that I am glad for you. There are folks who don’t even have any.
This article is for bloggers who want to make a living out of the art. I will say some things here that’d portray me as proud but what has to be said has to be said. My attention has been drawn to what bloggers are about and what they are not based on the perception of some folks who feel we should get real jobs. I have ignored too many articles about the essence and importance of bloggers in the Nigerian political and social system. I ignored these articles because I believe a footballer’s best answer for his critics is to play better. In essence, a blogger’s best answer for his or her critics is to blog better, make more money and have more influence.
Nigerians are a unique people. We have a box in our heads of what a real job should or should not be. I have read tweets and comments from people who say things like “go and get a real job.” I checked the profile of one of those, and I found out he worked in a bank. That’s a real dream job for many Nigerians. I am first to admit that blogging is not a real job, but I never wanted a real job so I am fine. I could decide to work from my toilet seat on a Monday morning if I so desire. I could even decide not to bother at all after all I pay folks to post materials on my blog. I know a blogger who turns in at least N4 million per month. I don’t turn in that much every month but I am not in anyway far from that. Not only can I afford to take care of my own bills, I cater to the bills of numerous others. Last year blogging took me to four continents, made me earn money in at least 5 major currencies and I still do and will always do!
Let me assure you, if you really love blogging and you are willing to wait the period it takes to be regarded and to get the hits, it really does pay. I saw @Olorisupergal for the first time last April and she has grown in leaps and bounds since then. She not only gets free tickets to major events – I know many can afford them but “free” always feels good – she gets paid to talk about them. I should not tell you about Linda Ikeji beyond saying she’d buy that banker I mentioned earlier at least 20 times over every month. Of course it took her years – about 4 – to get a dime from blogging but today there is a chance she won’t have space for you if you don’t go early enough to pay for your space on her blog.
I do not blog for money. But I make money from blogging. This is just an aspect of a whole. The other part of the whole is that I get to speak about what I do all over the world. Later this year I’ll be on a tour of Europe and I got so busy speaking about this thing I had to employ more hands. The reason is because I love speaking and I love seeing the world. I will always blog. When they abuse us bloggers as not having real jobs, they are speaking from the point of our parents who saw musicians, footballers, photographers, make-up artistes e.t.c as nobodies. Today, our parents know better. If Bloggers are not there yet, that’s because we need more of you to redefine your game and up the ante.
So yes, if you have a real job and make a living off that I am glad for you. There are folks who don’t even have any. This is how you a blogger should answer those who tell you to get a real job; keep doing what you do, keep doing it in your own unique way, if you must copy anyone do not forget to add your own touch and personality. Be different because that’s what sells. Be brave, be real and be you. Bloggers are bosses!
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Op-ed pieces and contributions are the opinions of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of Y!/YNaija.
The only issue with Omojuwa's blog is that he is not liberating minds, but instead selling a biased agenda.
I started blogging last year and up till now I've not made a dime from it but the joy that I can view my opinions unscripted is my joy. I love blogging and I'm passionate about it. I hope someday soon I will make my millions from my passion.
After reading this article I asked myself is mark Cuban a senator? How many educated doctors,bankers,lawyers,accountants earned legitimate cash? If Facebook founder is a nigerian people will have advise him to be
a banker,today a blogger brings revolution
That does not claim a soul. @ omojuwa your write up is excellent,who ever condemned a blogger is an educated illiterate .pls I can't attend #iblog bcos I'm in sokoto, can I get the soft copy via email if I pay for the prog.? Thanks to nigerians helping nigerians through blogging ==> @get2fatai
I had wanted to just read through without commenting, but I'm bent to comment. Whoever is pissed with bloggers spreading the word, informing the population, liberating minds and entertaining souls, that person is not a free soul. Too many of these folks sadly have very shallow minds and narrow perspectives. I agree with Omojuwa and can't wait for that time when free media would take over conventional media as we know it.
And I must say, all blogger-haters aint seen nothing yet! Cos we are just beginning to evolve…
Mr Observer, good comment there. Also I hope we learn to be faithful to ideas and principles which we acquire from the depths of our reading rather than follow individuals all over the place.
As I said in my piece on this issue, with the problems we have in this country, social media should be a means to an end, not an end in itself
@OIbhagui
AAAA, Useless article and useless comment? It is very clear you are just attacking the writer, Omojuwa and whatever he stands for. It will do you some good to be objective sometime. Critic constructively and not just say whatever you feel like without thinking twice. God bless you. Not everyone will like you though, people like Omojuwa and his likes should be used to people like you and your likes by now.
What ever your hands find doing, do it with all diligence … pple seem not to understand this statement at all.. It does not matter what you do, so far it gives you satisfaction, money and of course its legal.
Check out my webby and changeandrevolution documentary snippet on 'the revolution story'' http://changeandrevolution.com/?p=1259
I am not a blogger but I am a huge fan of blogs. I could spend the whole day going through all sorts of blogs and not get bored. As a communications consultant I am one of those who strongly recommends having press releases posted on blogs to all my clients. Why do I do this? I know blogs carry the news faster and earlier than the traditional newspapers. When a person then comes forward to say a blogging is not a real job, the person is implying that journalism is not a real job.
Like the yoruba's say, 'He who wants to buy things at the market will ignore the noise in the market". Well done on this. This is a huge encouragement for bloggers, especially those who are at the point of giving up blogging.
Spot on! The New World Order: Distinct or Extinct!
it's better to have a life than living one's life for an organization who can just wake up one day to tell you your services are no longer needed. They become miserable because they've got no skills to move on with their lives. I don't envy bankers at all.
I am glad this is coming a few days after I went ballistic on Twitter, taking on the 'blogger' haters. It is also instructive that Omojuwa has written this a week after a few persons took to the internet to say how much they despise bloggers. It's a sad state of affairs. As the mainstream media all but collapses before our very eyes, blogging is set to open up new vistas and will remain the source of information for an upwardly mobile generation for a long time yet. Ignorance in these parts is really our bane. Thanks for elucidating, Boss.
Hmmm! Bloggers are like cocoa farmers. You just gotta be patient to really starting earning. You could fast-track it a little with a unique daring voice and a little investment in terms of cash, and lots in term of time and effort. It ain't for the lazy so don't even start. [As for How To Blog Non-Stop? Explore and Share your findings]. Nice post @Omojuwa.
Useless article and equally useless and shallow comments….the point Most Nigerians are making is not that blogging is not a job or that you should go get á real job'' but that you should shade your arrogant olympian tendencies.
Errrm. Ok!
Well that's interesting. I really like this article especially a 'baby-blogger'. The problem with some Nigerians is that they tend to have this holier-than-thou attitude most times and take white collar jobs the ideal job without realizing that what they call real jobs are actually slavery. I would be glad to become a blogger of the level of this writer and bet you I don't need anybody's job. In fact imagine a banker telling someone to get a real job, is his job real? People that live on loans…lol
Essentially, this article shines a spotlight on the ignorant, fossilised thinking of most Nigerians in regards to education and professional employment. To Nigerians of a certain age, you can't be gainfully employed if you're not a lawyer, banker, doctor etc. Although we profess to value learning and education (ie, the realm of the blogger, writer and intellectual), the fact of the matter is that Nigerians only value professions in which they expect to earn lots of money.
That mercenary, narrow-minded outlook is a function of individual and collective ignorance. It fosters corruption and goes a long way in explaining why Nigeria is as it is today, why Nigeria is dying.
I could not not comment as this topic touches me too. To those who are saying social media is irrelevant and bloggers are jobless: you have your answer, but let me add to it. This useless social media is now a course to be studied in universities all over the world.
London Metropolitan University now has a 3 year Social Media course, and prestigious schools like Harvard are adding it to their curriculum. Organizations all over the world are realizing the importance of social media and are now adopting it. My question is, is blogging and social media still irrelevant? You answer for yourself
They've moved from 'a certain politician pays them to tweet' to 'social media is irrelevant in Nigeria anyway' to 'if we take away social media what's left of their lives' to 'bloggers are lazy people' to 'blogging is not a job' ……abuse bloggers till you go yo! Brilliant opening to an interesting series, as much as possible focus on your target readers (the bloggers), and ignore as much as possible the anti-social media activists.