His names are SIBOMANA Emmanuel a.k.a “Mister One Million” as He has One Million Followers on his Instagram @sibomana.emma.
He was born on 12 February 1985. He is now 38 years old, he was born in South Province of Rwanda, Nyanza District, Kigoma Sector, Gasoro Cell but for now he lives in Kigali City, Gasabo District since 2008 till now.
Sibomana has Been a Creator since 2017 after finishing the training of Journalists on social media and as he thanks the Government of Rwanda, Rwanda Media Commission (RMC), MIC (Media Impacting Communities) & USAID for bringing an International Expert on social media to train them. They taught them the good way to use social media, especially how to make money through social media, what they must avoid, what they should care about, they have revealed to them some cyber-crime that are being committed on social media so that they can avoid them, and revealed to them dark secrets of social media life etc…
Social media is one of the sources of income for him(Sibomana) especially on advertising and through social media consultation, but it(income) also comes from the media as he is also A Freelance Journalist and as well as from the theater of URUNANA DC of a BBC Play where he acts the Role of Patrick and now he have started working with Tourists as he promotes Rwandan Tourism through his social media platforms especially his Instagram @sibomana.emma.
Actually after the training of Journalists on Social media, he didn’t know that he will make even little money though social media.
It all started with a volunteer advertising on his social media platforms so that he can attract the clients from different Businessmen and he posted their business for free and after he started charging them money and they started making negotiation and make business partnership even though it’s still not easy for some Businessmen for understanding the power of social media for promoting their business and letting it be known and he doesn’t know If he can say that some of them are still asleep not knowing the secret of working with them as social media influencers…
In this process journey of making money on social media, some people attacked us, they insulted us, they said we were confused, they harassed us saying that I was not normal, that maybe i have a mental problem, but I knew what I wanted…said Sibomana.
They said these things through social media comments, YouTube interviews comments, online rumours even those who met him in person etc…and sometimes he used some tricks to attract their attention so that he can get Instagram followers and after he makes money but it’s not easy for him at all! He made T shirts written on them his Instagram name and he gave to his friends and fans.
He sometimes use to say that social media is like a double edged sword and nowadays social media has become a drug for some people because some of them are addictive.
Actually, there are many way to get money through social media… “for example let me start with Instagram because I use it more and more than any other social media platforms” Said Sibomana.
There is a way you make money through advertising businesses and they pay you according to the negotiation you have made with your business partners.
There is a way you request Instagram to give you chance and opportunity of getting money whenever you go on Instagram Live & get paid (when you go live they publish message: Buy a badge to support so and so for example to support @sibomana.emma. For example, when you go on Instagram Live with badges, your viewers can buy badges to support you and get extra recognition, while you earn money from content you’re already creating.
There is a way you request Instagram to monetize your Instagram account so that you get paid for all views you have on your videos you post, those videos to be paid for, are called “Reels” on Instagram.
For getting paid, you must post your own video (Reel) with no copy right. And your Instagram must be professional or Business page not personal Instagram account.
He said that An other important thing, you must request an Instagram Blu Tick/Instagram Blu badge/Instagram Verification badge so that people can know that your account is authentic, is real.
You can also get paid through YouTube, Facebook, TikTok, Twitter and also you can make money through WhatsApp status posts.
It’s not easy to precise the amount of money he makes though Instagram because it’s like temporary work for him! But Sometimes he can get clients to advertise their business and he gets gets money and the next time he doesn’t find them or he finds very little money but for him when try to say the average of money he can make monthly especially on Instagram and social media consultation it’s between 300$ and 500$ monthly that’s why he said he doesn’t do monthly job of full time, But he is working hard to go beyond that… And he really appreciate The Government of Rwanda for bringing the high technology in the country and they support them as youth especially he appreciates His Excellence Paul Kagame the President of the Republic of RWANDA for supporting Rwandan Youths in technology and gives them time to understand their ideas, thoughts and resolve their problems.
The opinions of his family and friends are completely different and sometimes those opinions are tough. This is very significant and sensitive question to talk about… Some of his family and friends appreciate the step & achievement he has made, while others still don’t understand those things of social media, they think social media are for lazy and jobless people, others don’t know anything at all. Some of them always ask him many questions concerning on what they have heard/read on radio, tv and on social media about his life and he starts to explain every single thing and sometimes he tells them what they have heard about his life are not true, those who did it was targeting views to make money.
He likes being Independent creator because he becomes self-employed professional who empowers himself with knowledge and skills by creating digital content online even though the journey is still long/big…as he helps others.
As Independent creator, he is a fast-growing person of self-employed professional and he tends to have multiple sources of income such as a ordinary job, or a part-time job to supplement what he makes from their content creation on social media.
Sibomana has future aspirations by being very professional content creator Even though he still faces challenges including lack of predictable income and a lack of benefits that a traditional career would provide and lack of social media training.
To be honest, While getting paid to post as advertising on my Instagram it sounds like a great situation! Said Sibomana.
Sometimes as Social media influencers, aside from making money per posts, social media influencers are receiving packages filled with a brands newest merchandise, free of charge as advertising them.
And as well as free gifts, many influencers get to go on free trips partnered with big brands that they help influence for.
Can you imagine getting a free trip from KIGALI to beautiful hotel far away like Rubavu/Gisenyi, Eastern, Northern province etc just for posting about the brand on your platforms especially on Instagram! Said Sibomana Emmanuel.
Awards: MTN Rwanda once rewarded him a smart phone and airtime because he promoted and advertised their new smart phones on my social media platforms.
I never received any award in Rwandan Entertainment Awards Even though I know I deserve many awards as my friends always(use to) tell it to me that i deserve awards as social media influencer.
And I can’t complain because I know this is Africa sometimes things in entertainment, most awards don’t go to the person that was supposed to be rewarded and I wish them to work fairly like it’s done in Hollywood in USA.
When it comes to social media economy in Rwanda comparing with of other countries, he says that social media life are almost the same around the world and when it comes to income, of course they can’t be at the same level of the western countries(USA, CANADA and EUROPE) but at least on Africa level, they can come in top ten.
People should know that Social media world is like an other planet we live in with it’s own life style!
That’s why he makes a content when he is here in Kigali, and after being published it’s shared in every corner of the world, and he receives different comments from around the world and as you know this earth become like one village because of internet.
If some Rwandan creators lie to attract attention and get more views, this is not only in Rwanda, it is everywhere on social media world.
The challenges he has in common are growing the audience and finding enough time for every single thing, Finding the real and true content that will convince our audience even though we already spend time(hours and hours) online. They don’t get training on social media Even though they already spend time online. The money they get online are still little comparing to the life of this KIGALI city because the price of many things are expensive and the price of food, etc is raising up every day.
Life on social media.
SIBOMANA EMMANUEL is the third most followed person on instragram in Rwanda with one million followers.
Sibomana Emmanuel Said: “On social media, we sometimes show/Post happy pictures/short videos but sometimes our hearts are sad, that’s why some people choose to Fake life on social media because none care… and people have to impress the audience/ world so that people can fear you that you are strong and powerful person even though in reality you live in miserable life”.
Social media and technology have brought bullying to a new level. You will hear so and so have bought very nice house, car, they are making big projects, they are living in luxury life on social media but unfortunately they live in miserable life and even finding food is not easy.
Just an example said Sibomana: “Someone can rent very nice house, car and clothes for two days and bring some many YouTuber Influencers to interview her/him showing to the audience that that person have a big achievement and when they come they find her/ him in that luxury life they will find her/his pictures hanging on the walls of the house… apart from this, this person will rent some camera men for very nice pictures & short videos to post the whole year and after those 2 days she/he will go back to the ghetto and keep Living her/his ordinary life”. She’s/He’s Rich on social media but sadly he/she is poor in real life.
Social media Depression
To be honest, these days social Media Can Lead people to Depression, Anxiety, and Loneliness. Nowadays there is no secrets, everything is shared on social media.
Many people keep their eyes on the platforms for hours and it can lead to increased feelings of anxiety, depression, and loneliness as i mentioned above.
Sometimes the way we use social media makes it harmful & how we feel about ourselves while using it. On social media, We don’t post our failures, weakness and challenges….said Sibomana.
Our daily life depend on our smartphones for work, religion, school, our personal and social lives. For example me even other people, it’s not easy to leave home without our smart phone that keeps our social media.
The internet and social media have really become a significant part of our daily basis lives. Our Online life are completely different to our reality lives.
The more time we spend on social media, it can lead to cyberbullying, social anxiety, depression, and exposure to content that is not age appropriate.
Sibomana Emmanuel said he will continue to do these things of social media in the future even when he gets maried and has children he will make his wife and children like/love social media until they fit in his shoes especially on side of making money.
Any intentions to grow and expand are: “I want to be a powerful and strong social media influencer on international level and i have started learning English on other level(speaking it fluently) so that i can fit on international market. I have started to meet international celebrities and personality to make collaboration on how we can exchange knowledge, ideas, on how i can expand what i do in professional way by making money.” Said SIBOMANA.
Sibomana is also planning to give training in different private companies, schools even in other society so that he can share to them the knowledge he has…to teach them the importance of social media and how to use, what to avoid…
Advice:
First of all they must know what they want…Said Sibomana.
They must understand their mission to be on social media and their first goal be to make money.
They should be well aware of what they want to achieve and how they will know when they make it. They have to think about their professional objectives and where they want to be in the future.
They have to keep in touch with new technologies, pay attention to the latest trends, and seek learning opportunities outside work because everyday there come new things.
They have to keep Learning new things on social media.
Sibomana wants to tell and remind people that social media can affect their lives negatively.
Most people share the best side of their lives, be it good profile pictures, image of the latest vacation they did or simply talking about their achievements and projects they have made.
Sadly, those posts can cause depression and anxiety among the people who are going through tough times, the more they see people showing off on social media their luxury life yet it’s Fake life, the deeper they go into their own risk to suffer as they condemn themselves.
People have to know that on social media, they are some people who do online scams or bullying, others share pictures and videos of their private body to their friends and after some disagreement they share them on social media and cause them trauma and depression to the owner.
Sibomana said that it’s not secret people lose friends in real world/real life and try to find them on social media and after they get disappointed and sometimes end in tears especially in relationships and business.
Sibomana said that Some people even some of his friends are addictive on social media and this cause some mental health problem and the answer to them is to be on Smart phone with internet every day.
Advice he can give to the audience.
“I am calling everyone to be careful on what they post on social media. People have to manage their privacy settings as they can control who sees what they post. They have to know that what they post on social media stay there online and please they have to think twice before posting their pictures and short videos. It’s better to build a positive reputation online because you never know what the future holds for you.” Sibomana wants to tell people who will read this article to protect their computer/laptop even their Smart phone because the security he is talking about starts with computer and phone.
Sometimes someone comes to harassing or threatening you, please remove or block them from your friends list for the sake of your peace of mind.
Social media platforms like Twitter, Instagram and Facebook are known for making celebrities more accessible, which allows them to promote upcoming events and new projects where fans can look out for them in case of new songs, movies, fashion or events, and so forth. With the use of smartphones, fans are notified about what’s happening with their favourite stars.
These platforms benefit not only the fans to keep up with their favourite showbiz personalities but they also profit the celebrities who get endorsement deals and stay in the limelight.
According to Sibomana Emmanuel “Mister One Million”, at times, fans feel more attached and entitled to what’s happening in the superstars’ private lives.
Even when celebrities make mistakes on social media, they are blamed, judged, and ridiculed, yet they are human and make mistakes just like any other person.
Sibomana explains that some celebrities have given up on their careers because of the situations that test their worth and embarrass them, to the extent of losing their fan base and the name they toiled to make.
He notes that although social media is one of the few marketing strategies that allow connecting directly with one’s audience, enables easier communication, boosts networking, eases access to paid advertising services, and builds brands, it is also a pool of pessimism.
“Since celebrities are role models to many, when they set bad examples or say inappropriate things, there is a possibility of causing rejection to their fame,” SIBOMANA Emmanuel “ Mister One Million” says.
Sibomana adds that some celebrities have lost their freedom of expression as many times they are judged and misinterpreted.
He also points out that public figures have been victims of fake image editing to create memes through the use of Photoshop and similar editing software, yet these images circulate so fast on social media.
“Although memes work well for brands, if an individual is used as a meme, especially without their consent, they might get offended,” Mister One Million says.
He says that several people have created fake accounts in celebrities’ names that are used to commit crimes, share inappropriate information, and solicit money.
Sibomana Emmanuel notes that it is unfortunate that sometimes people enjoy celebrities’ scandals more than the services they offer, which has left many of them isolated and scorned.
Some personalities are depressed because of negative attacks and offensive messages from the public. Sibomana says.
He, however, calls upon all showbiz personalities to strive for their accounts to be verified with a blue badge as they will gain trust, recognition and increase their brand’s credibility.