Nkechi, a known Apple gadget enthusiast, caused a stir online after publicly dropping her brand-new iPhone 17 Pro Max into water to prove it was authentic and not a recycled older model.
In a video that has since gone viral, she challenged critics who accused her of exaggerating her device’s value, demonstrating the phone’s durability by submerging it and showing it still worked.
The gadget, reportedly worth over three million Naira, was handled with care and presented as evidence that Nkechi buys all her Apple products from authorised sources.
She insisted that her devices are genuine and up to date, dismissing claims that she was using older models like the iPhone XR.
The stunt, which she performed in front of her followers, sparked debate on social media about the lengths some consumers go to prove the authenticity of luxury gadgets. Many viewers expressed amazement at both the audacity of the demonstration and the phone’s resilience.
Social media reacts to the stunt
The video quickly drew mixed reactions online, with some praising Nkechi for proving her point while others criticised the ostentatious display of wealth.
Comments highlighted the culture of glorifying devices, with many questioning why consumers feel the need to validate ownership through extreme demonstrations.
Some social media users compared the stunt to technological competitions in China and India, where engineers design phones that can survive water exposure without the need for dramatic personal demonstrations.
Several commentators pointed out the performative nature of the act, suggesting that Nkechi’s stunt was more about ego than functionality. One user wrote, “She turned a three-million-Naira iPhone into a sacrificial prop to prove a point no one disputed, just to silence critics.”
Luxury gadgets and status culture under scrutiny
The incident has sparked wider discussions on the obsession with high-end gadgets and the social status they confer.
Many people are now reflecting on how technology has become intertwined with personal identity, and how some individuals go to extreme lengths to maintain a perceived social hierarchy.
In Nkechi’s case, she even admitted in the video that she does not normally use the iPhone 17, reserving it mainly for recording demonstrations.
Despite the backlash, the stunt has undoubtedly increased engagement online and reinforced the idea that gadgets, particularly iPhones, continue to carry both functional and symbolic value.
Watch the video below…
Nkechi blessing dropped her new iPhone 17 she bought for 3 million Naira inside water to let people know it’s not XR she bought 😭💔😂 pic.twitter.com/zsB5NutiOZ
— Oyindamola🙄 (@dammiedammie35) October 14, 2025