Asa, Nneka, Odemwingie Verify Twitter Accounts

By Osagie Alonge

It looked like it would never happen, but Micro-blogging site Twitter has finally verified official accounts of some Nigerian celebrities.

And the first set of celebs include international singers Asa, Nneka and Premiership footballer Peter Odemwingie.

In June 2008, Twitter launched a verification program; allowing celebrities to get their accounts verified as a way of helping users verify which celebrity accounts were created by the celebrities themselves.

Prominent Nigerians and celebs such as Paul Okoye, Jim Iyke, and Wole Soyinka have all suffered from fake or parody accounts on Twitter which often mislead and confuse followers. With the new development this might stop soon.

Interestingly, the three new verified accounts are owned by people who have plied their trade in the international scene and have less than 50,000 followers as compared to the likes of Don Jazzy, Wizkid, and Banky W who have well over a hundred thousand followers but are more rooted in Nigeria.

The Nigerian with the highest Twitter followers so far is popular Pastor, Reverend Chris Oyakhilome totalling over a million.