Welcome, my people, to another Thursday, when we gather to laugh, reflect, and, if life has been particularly dramatic, deeply exhale. Nigeria is already a full-time job, but somehow, relationships and social media have come together to form a second employment we never applied for.
Today’s Chronicle touches two hot topics that many pretend don’t exist: the pressure to keep up online and the emotional palaver that comes with real-life friendships. Because let’s be honest, sometimes the real drama is not even on Instagram, it’s inside the house.
Social media has turned life into one big talent show. Everywhere you look, someone is soft-launching a new relationship, unboxing a new perfume, eating brunch in a place you didn’t even know existed, or posting motivational quotes that don’t match their behavior offline. While scrolling, one begins to wonder: “When did life turn into a competition of who is suffering quietly and shining loudly?”
But the real gist is what happens behind the scenes, those complicated, layered, sometimes sweet, sometimes bitter friendships that nobody ever posts about. We all know relationships that look peaceful from afar, but up close? Ah. It’s like Nollywood and Netflix had a baby.
There are friendships that start with love, warmth, and unshakable closeness. Until one day, without warning, small cracks begin to appear. Maybe it’s subtle disrespect disguised as jokes. Maybe it’s constant misunderstandings. Maybe it’s the kind of two-faced behaviour that can make a person question if they accidentally offended the gods. One minute, somebody is laughing with you in the living room; the next minute, they are outside telling stories about you that even you didn’t know happened.
And the funny part? It’s always the people who shout “I’m loyal!” on social media who have the most PhD in two-faced behaviour. Offline, they forget conversations, twist events, sprinkle unnecessary drama, and somehow always paint themselves as the saints in every story. If acting were money, some people would be richer than Dangote by now.
In Nigeria, where friendship is sometimes a survival strategy, sharing space, costs, meals, or just emotional support, the weight of a friendship going left hits hard. One day, everything seems fine; the next day, someone packs their bags with the speed of Rapture and sends a polite WhatsApp message minutes later like, “Thank you for everything, God bless you.” Meanwhile, the house is still warm from where they sat.
It’s almost comical how humans can switch roles faster than NEPA switches off lights. They smile with you at home but feed others a whole documentary about you outside. And somehow, the same people who act like villains offline become motivational speakers online, posting “protect your peace” while actively disturbing other people’s peace.
Mix that with social media pressure, and life becomes a full movie.
Because when friendships shake, the timeline does not pause. Instagram is still shouting “new car,” “new job,” “new hair,” “new vacation,” while real life is teaching unsolicited life lessons. And yet, somehow, everyone must still look composed. Nobody must know that emotions are doing boxing practice inside your chest. Everyone must maintain aesthetic feed and cute captions like “God is good” when deep down, it is God and restraint holding the situation together.
Still, beneath the humour and sarcasm lies a simple truth: real life is messy. Friendships are unpredictable. Humans will shock you. And social media? Social media will deceive you if you let it. But none of these things should define self-worth or disrupt inner peace.
Sometimes relationships end quietly because they have run their course. Sometimes people leave because they were never meant to stay. Sometimes peace comes not from keeping people around, but from letting their chapter close with dignity and without unnecessary noise.
And truthfully, not all departures are tragedies. Some are deliverance.
At the end of the day, life continues—both online and offline. There will always be pressure to look successful, friendships that test emotional strength, and unexpected plot twists that Nollywood scriptwriters would envy. But there will also always be laughter, growth, and the freedom that comes from choosing peace over performance.
And that’s today’s Thursday Chronicle, my people.
Friendships may be dramatic, social media may be loud, but peace of mind? Priceless.
Until next Thursday, same time, same energy, same premium gist.
