Baby gifts from fans?! It’s exactly the question Nigerians are asking in reaction to Veekee James’ announcement of a baby registry. A lot of fans are angry.
Veekee James is a Nigerian fashion designer and gospel singer is a media personality in Nigeria known for making the best wedding dresses. She became even more popular on her wedding day for her heartfelt display of gratitude to God when she knelt to sing along with the officiating pastor. 
Since her marriage, Veekee James has been creating couple content with her husband, Femi, and always making Nigerians say ‘awww’.
A few weeks ago, Veekee announced her pregnancy after one year of marriage, and the whole internet exploded in excitement for the couple.
What Is a Baby Registry?
In an already deleted video, the expectant mother announced that she would be starting a baby registry for her child.
Like some Nigerians, you might be wondering what a baby registry is. A baby registry is an organised wish list of items expectant parents need for their new baby. They create a link and ask friends and relatives to send gifts for the coming baby. The purpose is usually to avoid duplicate gifts.
Even though gift-giving to a mother and her newborn is a common practice in Nigeria, you are expected to go with a gift when visiting. However, Nigerians are not reacting well to Veekee’s baby registry.
Nigerians’ Reactions
The problem isn’t the baby registry, as it is nothing new in Nigerian households, but requesting it from fans too?
When the announcement was made, many Nigerians had a lot to say.
“It isn’t normal anywhere in the world for wealthy celebrities to ask their followers for donations to their baby registry. It is simply unethical, and “but no one is forcing you” doesn’t cut it. I want us to want better for ourselves. The abegistanisation of this country has to stop.” Says Uloxma on X (Twitter).
“I like Veekee, James, but this is greed. You have a rich family and friends that can easily pull this off, and you still want to collect from your fans? Is it because they are gullible? Imagine pouring a cup of water into an ocean,” another X user tweeted.
Not everyone saw it as greed. Some Nigerians argue that Veekee James did nothing wrong. According to them, a baby registry is voluntary, and no one is forced to buy anything. If fans choose to gift her child, it is entirely their decision.
Is This Really About a Baby Registry?
ALSO READ: ‘It Was Love at First Sight’ – Veekee James Opens Up About The First Time She Met Her Husband
Baby registries on their own are not new. Nigerian celebrities have been receiving gifts from fans for years, from birthday surprises to expensive presents delivered publicly, especially to reality TV stars. So the idea of fans gifting a celebrity isn’t exactly shocking.
What unsettles people is something deeper.
Nigeria is in a tough place economically, and many people are already sensitive about how the wealthy display their lifestyle online. A public baby registry, especially from someone perceived as financially comfortable, feels tone-deaf to many. It shifts what is traditionally a private family gesture into a public, almost transactional thing.
In many Nigerian homes, gifts for a newborn come from relatives and close friends. It’s intimate. It’s relational. Expanding that circle to include fans changes the meaning of it. That, more than the registry itself, is what many people are reacting to.
Perhaps this isn’t really about a baby wish list. Perhaps it’s about class, culture, and the constant expectation and entitlement celebrities think their fans owe them.
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