He takes you out. The restaurant is decent. The conversation is flowing. Then he says, 'Let me call my photographer friend to capture this moment.' Sir, this is a first date. Why are we creating content? The Nigerian "I have a photographer friend" date is a content creation exercise disguised as romance. The friend arrives with a camera. The date stops being a date. It becomes a photoshoot. You are now posing with your drink. You are now laughing artificially at his joke. You are now holding hands across the table while the photographer adjusts the angle. And the pressure! You must look good for photos you did not request. You must smile through conversations you want to end. The photographer is judging your angles. The date is judging your photogenicity. The restaurant staff is judging your life choices. The aftermath is worse. The photos arrive in three days. He posts them with a caption like "Moments with my person 🥰" You are not his person. You have met twice. But the narrative is set. The comments are flowing. "Couple goals!" "When is the wedding?" You are now in a relationship you did not agree to, documented by a photographer you did not hire. The exit strategy is complex. You cannot ghost; you are already posted. You must negotiate a soft landing. "Let's be friends." He posts a sad caption. The photographer captures the heartbreak. The cycle continues. Have you been on a date that turned into an unsolicited photoshoot? And did you feature in a relationship announcement you didn't authorize?
