VeryDarkBlackMan, Free Expression, and Digital Ethics in Nigeria

Nigeria’s social media landscape became an enlightenment war about who controls what happens and who controls your credibility and influence in the public eye. In a volatile online digital space, the country's most controversial figure goes by the name of VeryDarkBlackMan (VDM). Through constant and unrestricted criticism of public figures, celebrities, and internet influencers, VDM made himself a divisive public figure.

The reality is more complex. VDM’s contributions in his content have triggered essential dialogue on Nigerian celebrity hypocrisy and abuse of power, whilst his frequent aggressive tone and aggressive behavior found on social media that constantly targets people are against legal boundaries of free speech and cyberbullying in the new digital age.

The story unfolds and illustrates that VDM is not the only actor. The increase in online harassment and cyberstalking activities in Nigeria has become a national crisis for many reasons, including that the cases of online harassment and cyberstalking usually lead to psychological menace, legal repercussions and even imprisonment. A study conducted in 2023 by Paradigm Initiative shows that about 47% of Nigerian youth have been cyberbullied, and 18% suffered from long-term emotional distress in 18%. Most of the people involved are very adversely affected by this situation's severity of this situation.

The number of Nigerians who now go online stands at over 122 million since the population is now expanding; such people need to be dealt with digitally literate and on responsible content generation, as well as in the provision of effective legal protections.

 

1. Who Is VeryDarkBlackMan—and Why Is He Controversial?

VeryDarkBlackMan (VDM) was born and raised in Nigeria and is also presented as a social justice commentator through his bulletin on matters about truth that he exposes. The videos that VeryDarkBlackMan releases in pidgin English, with a strong touch of emotion and confrontation, gain millions of views on his social media channels (Instagram, TikTok, Facebook), amongst other things. There have been plenty of obstacles on the way to where he found fame now.

 

The Formula: Outrage + Exposure = Virality

VDM is particular with his content delivery, specifically to major Nigerian celebrities with influencers and politicians. In making some of his videos publicly, VDM has gone ahead to berate entertainers like Bobrisky and Iyabo Ojo and Tonto Dikeh over fraudulent and immoral offense. Besides being confrontational, his approach to reaching out to his audience is straightforward and customized. His provocative approach is appealing to people because it’s something different from what people are used to getting in mainstream celebrity culture. Some people view the content he posts either as a positive shift away from the sanitized celebrity world or as the improper application of a moral in a digital space.

 

Legal Entanglements and Social Media Bans

In 2024, VDM was first detained briefly as a popular Nollywood star filed defamation, cyberstalking disputes against him. He was suspended from accounts on TikTok and Instagram for a while for violating rules regarding harassment and bullying.

And because his viewers see him as a man who speaks the truth about corruption and hypocrisy, his popularity remains on the rise. Crossing the border between holding someone accountable and crossing ethical boundaries is made essential by his methods, which create essential legal and ethical uncertainties that flow. And who gets to draw it?

 

2. Cyberbullying in Nigeria: A Legal and Social Crisis

This is one of the rising cases of Nigeria-based cyberbullying, and the cyber laws being evolved in the country would deal with this case as well as other cyberbullying cases.

 

Recent High-Profile Cases

- Okoye Blessing (TikToker) - was jailed for three years (or alternatively paid the sum of N150,000) for publishing malicious material against Eniola Badmus. The crime of cyberstalking was made possible by section 24 of the Cybercrimes Act 2015, which empowered the court to pronounce that she acted in this way.

- Former Minister Babatunde Fashola’s name was also dragged into a blogger who reportedly spread false details and was arrested by the police. It prosecuted the person as a cyberstalker, which led to discussions in the public over protecting free press rights versus regulating abusive internet content.

Since those recent examples, the Nigerian judicial system now deals with online harassment as a punishable offense with concrete legal measures that can be imposed.

 

Understanding Section 24 of the Cybercrimes Act

The first name to the bill that set out to shut down cybercrime in Nigeria, and later amended in 2024, is titled The Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act of 2015. Section 24 of the law defines cyberstalking and online harassment and forms the basis under which it is defined:

“A course of conduct using a computer system or network that causes fear, emotional distress, or reasonable apprehension of harm.”

Penalties include:

- Fines up to ₦7 million

- Prison sentences of up to 10 years

- Additional damages for victims in civil cases

Enforcement of section 24 of the Cybercrimes Act is, however, a challenge and has remained so to an extent that the public over there is yet to fully digest it because they think fancy popularity on the internet puts them in a safe haven or borderland.

 

3. The Human Cost: Emotional and Psychological Effects

Despite that, the legal systems created to protect victims of cyberbullying cannot reinstate the emotional hurt from cyberbullying that is emotional.

 

Real-Life Impact

Usually, people who face online harassment report that symptoms include this set of symptoms:

- In 2022, the Nigerian Psychological Society carried out research that showed that cyberbullying leads to 63% of victims suffering from depression symptoms and 28% of those who also planned suicide.

- Digital harassment consists of constant attacks that have the most negative effect on self-esteem among youth who are forming their identity and determining their career direction.

- Many of the victims are also fully isolated from social networks, which makes them cut off from their social networks; they can not work or participate in their careers, face blockages and lost opportunities, and have little community participation.

These effects are not hypothetical. Earlier in 2023, a video of a 17-year-old Lagos secondary school student being shamed online for her appearance led to her attempting suicide. Many were saddened by the tragic incident, and there was greater demand for better digital education programs.

 

4. The Role of Social Media Platforms

Meta (Instagram/Facebook), TikTok and X (previously Twitter), social media companies are feeling more and more heat to stop abusive behaviour online. In Nigeria, the diversity of moderation practices in digital platforms is a result of the platforms reacting to user complaints as opposed to applying proactive methods of intervention.

 

Platform Policies vs. Local Realities

The platforms also fail to enforce the platform guidelines that regulate hate speech and harassment in an inconsistent and insufficient manner. Users find it difficult to understand the reporting abuse process, and the appeal process is not clear to them. Because platform operators prefer not to moderate cyberbullying activities of public figures, who obtain commercial value from such activity, they are unappealing.

 

5. Solutions: Creating a Safer Digital Nigeria

Online harassment lacks a coherent definition, and disorderly features have remained unaddressed. This necessitates that Nigeria adopts a multilateral approach to addressing the complexity of the problem.

1. Digital Literacy for Creators and Users

Those who serve as platform owners and who reach a very large audience would need to be trained concerning some of the limitations of free speech to protect these users from harm. NGOS and tech platforms should as well as schools, should set up programs aimed at teaching Nigerian youth how to behave on the internet appropriately.

 

2. Stronger Legal Enforcement

However, the Cybercrime Act, along with other relevant laws, cannot prevent cybercrime if enforcement actions against cybercriminals are not swift and transparent enough. Specialized units with professionally trained personnel, funded to confront digital crime incidents, have to be formed by the Nigerian Police Force.

 

3. Support Systems for Victims

Any person who undergoes cyberbullying should look for help immediately. Digital rights advocates and mental health organizations should maintain support channels that create a path for victims to get the help of help using therapy and legal legislation.

 

4. Platform Accountability

Active procedures to detect dangerous content, a thorough assessment and elimination of dangerous content should be implemented by social media platforms. And it should go as far as banning repeat offenders for permanent account restrictions and taking precedence with content quality over sparking controversy through algorithms.

 

Conclusion

VeryDarkBlackMan goes beyond human physical existence because he has taken the battle line on what passes for free expression in digital communication in Nigeria against the laying down of responsibility. Moreover, verydarkblackman’s verbal spats with whites and distance from any formal attempts at scapegoating of blacks had lent to his rise to prominence and his ensuing public controversies, as well as possible legal battles that represent a nationwide drive to delimit what would constitute acceptable public communication. Though speech power can be dangerous when amplified by technology to the point of hurting or making people disappear or destroying them, the user claims to be delivering truthful criticism of powerful figures.

Cyberbullying occurs beyond a probable scenario. While it affects the mental health of the problem, it erodes public trust and civic engagement alike. As long as expression is online, it must continue to be free from harm, not by repressing it.

It is simply necessary to evaluate the communication style of the content creator to achieve better results. It gets to the highest level for policymakers: the need for strong digital safety laws that are effectively enforced. Many people who should know have the experience of being a victim of this problem with others. Of paramount importance are support systems that are in place, along with your security.

At the very least, we insist we must create a digital Nigeria that is loud but just and inclusive, which is secure.