UK-based Nigerian
journalist and media professional Joseph Seun Emmanuel has recounted a
troubling experience of professional identity theft that highlights
vulnerabilities in today’s digital-first media landscape.
In
a statement shared with media outlets, Seun referenced a lyric from King
Saheed Osupa’s song, “Emi gan-gan lemi, won o ni fi elomii se mi” (“I am
myself; I cannot be replaced”), noting that while it once felt like a confident
affirmation, recent events have given the words a new, unsettling significance.
Seun detailed the sequence of events that revealed the impersonation: initial
inquiries about jobs he had never accepted, mentions of events he never
attended, and ultimately the discovery of an online profile that closely
mirrored his own. The profile listed his education, career achievements,
awards, media projects, and professional network—all claimed by someone he had
never met.
“What
unsettled me most was not the similarity of names but the precision of the
impersonation. This individual had been attending press conferences, executing
paid media jobs, granting interviews, and syndicating reports under an identity
assumed to be mine,” Emmanuel explained.
The
journalist emphasized that the consequences were not merely personal.
Complaints were made about work he had never done, and his professional
credibility—built over years of dedication, late nights, and carefully nurtured
relationships—was suddenly at risk.
“A
professional identity is not merely a CV; we are talking about years of
sacrifice, earned bylines, and carefully built relationships. To see all these
replicated so effortlessly exposed how fragile professional identity can be in
a digital-first media ecosystem,” he said.
He warned that identity theft in media spaces often thrives quietly due to weak
verification systems, informal engagements, and overreliance on online
profiles. Freelance-driven environments, where speed can sometimes replace
scrutiny, are particularly vulnerable.
The
journalist underscored the real and costly consequences of such impersonation:
reputations suffer, payments are misdirected, institutions unknowingly enable
fraud, and professionals are left defending actions they never took.
He
called on media houses, PR firms, event organizers, and brands to adopt
stronger verification measures, stating that verification should become a
cultural practice rather than a courtesy. For professionals, he added, securing
one’s identity is now an essential part of the job.
“In
today’s media landscape, identity is no longer something you just own, but what
you must actively defend,” Seun concluded, echoing the lyric that inspired
his reflection: “Emi gan-gan lemi..won o ni f'elomii se mi.”
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