By Evance Kapito
Pililani Mombe Nyoni, a US-based Malawian socialite and philanthropist widely known as Pido International, has made a bold statement addressing lawyers in Malawi, urging them to properly guide clients who are involved in social media disputes especially those seeking attention through public conflicts.
In a candid and impassioned post on her official Facebook account, Pido advised Malawian legal practitioners to stop accepting cases blindly from clients who simply want to trend, emphasizing that many people misunderstand how social media operates and react emotionally instead of logically.
鈥淎ll Malawian lawyers if your clients are constantly fighting online for fame, please sit them down and educate them. Don鈥檛 just take their money,鈥 she wrote. 鈥淵ou too are beginning to look like educated savages.鈥
Pido stressed that social media has its own culture and language, which many Malawians fail to grasp. She noted that what often appears as offensive or defamatory could simply be a reflection of how digital spaces function, and not everything warrants legal action.
鈥淭here is a unique language here on social media, and many Malawians don鈥檛 understand it at all. We tend to take everything personally. Let them know we are here to socialize, not to threaten each other.鈥
Sharing her own experience, Pido revealed that she has received numerous threats online but has never resorted to legal proceedings because she understands how social platforms work.
鈥淲e have been threatened not once, not twice, but many times I鈥檝e lost count. So why didn鈥檛 we open cases? Because we understand how media works.鈥
Her remarks come at a time when a high-profile legal case is brewing between two Malawian socialites: Cha Cha, who has filed a defamation lawsuit against fellow socialite Tamia Ja. The case, which has sparked widespread public discussion, centers on allegations of damaging statements made on social media platforms such as Facebook and YouTube.
Pido didn鈥檛 shy away from criticizing the growing culture of entitlement and ego among internet personalities, saying some act like they are superior to others simply because they have large followings or money.
鈥淭hese kinds of people are tiring. Why are they acting as if they are God? Are they not just like the rest of us? Or do they think they are made of something special, like flour others can鈥檛 afford to buy?鈥
In her closing remarks, she called on lawyers to give their clients honest, responsible advice and to help calm the tensions instead of fueling more disputes.
鈥淧lease advise your clients. Don鈥檛 let them continue to disturb everyone. If they are too short-tempered for social media, tell them to get off. The truly wealthy are on platforms like X, LinkedIn, or Instagram. Let love lead we鈥檙e all bosses here.鈥
Her statement has drawn mixed reactions from the public. Some praised her for calling for rational discourse and media literacy, while others argued that when online speech damages someone鈥檚 reputation, legal action remains a necessary option.
Whether viewed as a wake-up call or a controversial take, Pido鈥檚 comments have reignited national conversation around responsible digital behavior, freedom of expression, and the role of the legal system in managing online disputes.