Be wary of deceptive social media influencers, youths urged

A Non-profit educational organisation, Toastmasters has urged youths to be wary of deceptive social media Influencers parading themselves to be true.

A fellow of one of the clubs named Learntor in Lagos, Mrs. Mercy George-Igbafe, stated this to newsmen during the club’s passing of the baton to new executives’ ceremony, tagged: ‘The Power of Influence’.

George-Igbafe, who was the immediate president of the club- Learntor Toastmasters, decried the abuse of social media to wrongly influence young ones, saying that some influencers project false narratives.

“Influencers project a false narrative on who they are not and as a result confuse younger people, who follow them, thinking that is the way but ten years down the line, they regret it. But they have destroyed so many lives by using social media,” she said.

However, she noted that the ineptitude of the right use of influence has opened the door to wrong use, hence the need for clubs to encourage people to make the right use of their influence.

“So, it is our responsibility and calls to action, to let our stories count, your truth will save somebody that is about to commit suicide. Leadership, my friends, is not confined to formal titles or positions of authority. It is not just about personal achievement; it’s about creating a culture of excellence that permeates all you do.

“We can influence those around us, making a positive impact on our communities and beyond.’We can uplift, empower and motivate others by sharing our knowledge, lending a helping hand, or offering a kind word,” she said. She encouraged the club’s new executives to maximise their tenure for the benefit of the people they serve.

“As I pass the torch to the next executive, I am confident that they will build upon the foundation laid together and improve on the current structure,” she said.

Earlier, the guest speaker, TV host of a programme titled: ‘Your View’, aired on Television Continental, TVC, Morayo Afolabi Brown, emphasised the need to shoulder responsibility.

“Influencing means responsibility. It is harder to decide who is influencing right to wrong. Whether we like it or not, we are social beings, and something will influence us.

“We must be able to sift through the noise of information,” she said.