Fame brings about a change in lifestyle. Life takes a new twist and the number of people one deals with becomes enlarged. Friends and even family members sometimes complain of being left behind with the new found fame. The now famous person has to decide where his old friends now fit in the new situation.
Different people have different ways to deal with their ‘old’ friends in the situation. Here are the views of some people interviewed by The Next Edition:
New levels, new friends. My old people may not be able to deal with my new status and I don’t want them to drag me down. – Tunde Ayo, Student
I don’t agree with this philosophy of possibly dissociating from old friends. Your friends were there for you before fame and money, it won’t be right to move away from them after a little fame. – Sandra Lawrence, Entrepreneur.
Let me get the fame first, and I hope it comes with money. I can’t really say. Some people are not happy with you when you make it, so their reaction will determine what I do. -Grace Francis, Makeup Artist
I will not. I believe in loyalty. If they have been good friends, I won’t cut them off. – Prince Ike, Businessman
It’s 50 – 50 for me. It would just depend on what happens. I can’t really say. – Faith Ozonwuama, Student
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I don’t think this happens intentionally. I think the old friends so to say just can’t figure out where they fit anymore, so the relationship just fizzles out. It’s really not like a cutting away. I would carry them along as much as I can. – Hannanh Adebisi, Entrepreneur
I think it’s possible to keep both old and new friends. Things are bound to change, I have to admit, but I wouldn’t make them feel too left out. – Godwin Afolabi, Fitness Instructor.
I actually was accused of this at some level. It wasn’t really fame but there was a shift in lifestyle. What happened was that I got very busy and some people felt I dropped them, but I still had love for them. I sorted it out and became a better friend. – Wale Dapo, Choreographer.