Abuja (Sundiata Post) – Fans of actress and singer, Scarlet Gomez, were surprised to learn that she was the one who handled the social media account of the Big Brother Naija 2020 winner, Laycon, while he was in the house.
Contrary to what many also think, Gomez insisted to Sunday Scoop that none of the many celebrities who supported Laycon were paid. She said, “I had different notable moments throughout the journey. The support we got from celebrities was one of the highlights for me. We didn’t have to pay any of them. We welcomed them on his Instagram page every day. The celebrities love him ‘organically’. Even when fans knew he wasn’t perfect, they still showed him love. To be honest, I would miss handling Laycon’s social media accounts. Having to connect with fans was another highlight for me. It was fun seeing fans love him regardless of who he was.”
Recounting how she got the offer to maintain the reality TV star’s social media accounts, the singer said, “The team was looking for the best person they knew to handle Laycon’s page and they thought I was in the best position to do it. I also took a liking to him. If you know Laycon personally, you would realise there is nothing to hate about him. You would fall in love with him. He is a humble, honest and down-to-earth person. The love I have for him made me go the extra mile, knowing that the world had to hear his story.”
On how she handled the backlash that came with the responsibility, she said, “I was once a beauty queen and I was taught how to respond to negative remarks. People would come for one, whether one is a celebrity or not. Everybody cannot like one. One can either react to every distraction or focus on the job at hand. I was too focused on the task to respond to negative comments. We didn’t have to sell any narrative to Nigerians; they could see it. One cannot hide one’s character for too long, especially when cameras are capturing all of one’s activities. The Laycon the world saw is the Laycon we know. The only difference was that the Laycon we know is quieter than the Laycon you saw on TV. We know him to be a shy person.”
Asked about the changes she would love to see in Nollywood, Gomez stated, “I want actors and production crews to be better paid and valued. I have been on movie sets and seen the way crew members are treated. Meanwhile, they are the people behind the scenes doing a lot of work.”
