CAIRO -
While the world's eyes were on Ukraine, some Egyptians were preoccupied with other events, as their eyes turned to the Fifth Settlement district in eastern Cairo, where the reception ceremony for the Turkish Koksal Baba, one of the most famous personalities on social media, was taking place in an upscale restaurant.
Koksal Baba (Köksal Bektaşoğlu) is a famous Turkish YouTuber, who became famous in the Arab world, and watching his videos topped the lists of the most popular on social networking sites such as "Instagram", "TikTok" and "YouTube". (YouTube).
His real name is Bektaşoğlu, 46, and he suffers from a genetic disease that affects growth, causing his short stature and distinctive features.
The whole world... upended by Russia's war on Ukraine.
Egypt 👇
Baba Koksal in his headquarters in the Fifth
Settlement.
— ♍Mohammed Abdelhady🇪🇬 🇦🇪 (@BMFZcV8pStzRuXL) February 26, 2022
Despite his illness, Koksal Baba entered the field of boxing and won prizes in several tournaments, then retired in 2010, and in 2015 he began entering the world of social media platforms, and a video of an argument with him with a huge man was the cause of his fame, and the number of his followers exceeded 5 million across the platforms. different.
The arrival of "Baba" to Egypt last Thursday (February 24) enjoyed wide interaction among the Egyptians, in light of the wide popularity he enjoys with them, which is close to or perhaps even surpasses the famous Turkish chef Burak, as his images occupy the forefront of the expressions used by the Egyptians in applying WhatsApp (WhatsApp).
Koksal Baba's trip to Egypt was preceded by a lot of news that circulated rumors of his coming to it, once in Hurghada and another in Sharm El Sheikh, but no one reached him until the opening of a famous restaurant, which was filled with thousands of visitors wishing to welcome the light-hearted and spirited man, who Egyptians share his photos via WhatsApp expressive forms.
In front of a luxurious table, filled with dishes of different shapes and types of meat and birds, Koksal Baba sat in the front of the restaurant, which was prepared to receive him a royal chair, and the Turkish YouTuber sat on it.
What is the story of Koksal Baba, who is the mold of the world, that he is in Cairo pic.twitter.com/hugJ37HDIR
— hAⓂ️AdA🌐 (@Drinkcoffee77) February 24, 2022
The distinguished reception, the delicious food and the Egyptian dishes presented to the king of the "stickers" (expressive forms) in a special show, were not enough to satisfy Coskal Papa, who was fed up with the crowds around him, the exaggerated photography and the large number of journalists around him. Millions of Egyptians on social media are angry at his mockery of them, despite the welcome and love they surrounded him.
Between the poems of welcome and the comments of anger, Koxal Baba issues search sites in Egypt, and issues the Koxal Baba hashtag in Cairo, which is the most popular Twitter site, and a number of social media pioneers asked who is Koskal Baba?
What is the significance of such an exaggeration?
"Koksal Baba's visit to Cairo at this critical time will have repercussions on the crisis in Ukraine," one of the tweeters commented on Twitter sarcastically.
Koksal Baba's visit to Cairo at this critical time will have great repercussions on resolving the Ukrainian crisis and stopping the Third World War
😅😅
— Issam Younes 🇪🇬💟🇦🇹 (@essamyounes2018) February 25, 2022
In the middle of this kaanana, Koksal Baba arrives in Cairo ❤
Al-Awah attended 😂 Pic.twitter.com/44ye7th3wu
— Trend Ahlawy (@Trend_Ahlawy74) February 24, 2022
Honey, God😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/CBDJYm0pl9
- The videos that I renew the subscription for (@masterpiecces) February 25, 2022
While others objected to the exaggerated reception of what they called "the Turkish clown", criticizing the millions that were paid in what they considered a "farce". A tweeter named Ahmed Tantawi wrote: I admit that I did not know him, but it is clear that the world is on one side and Egypt on the other, the international channels Moaysat is transported from Ukraine and we take the satirist's trip to a kebab restaurant.
Respected channels globally. Live from Ukraine on the border with Russia 🇷🇺
and live with the locals
..
not working live for a hairdresser because the makeup is intact;
or Koksal Hyeji, Cairo;
Or an earthquake is over, for the colleague comes out while walking in the street;
Or a husband exposing his wife to live
or ………………….
— Ahmed Saeed Tantawi (@ahmedtantawi) February 24, 2022
Sorry, if I am ignorant, it is Coscal Papa, this is a sweet thing, I mean!!!
pic.twitter.com/20RinL3kbJ
— Neveen GamalNeveen Gamal (@NeveenGamal7) February 25, 2022
While some criticized the warm reception of Coscal Papa, others defended the state of celebration, stressing that he is a charitable man, and that most of the money he receives for advertising and promoting restaurants, hotels and tourist destinations is spent on charitable projects that benefit thousands of poor people.
Coscal Papa pic.twitter.com/kQxoJTzaiW
— AMAZING PERSON👾 (@yoi_ssef) February 27, 2022
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Köksal Baba (@koksalbaba)
wide controversy
Koksal Baba's visit not only received media coverage, but also sparked widespread controversy on social networking sites in Egypt because of what some considered exaggerated interest in visiting the Turkish star.
Some denounced this great interest in a person like Koksal Baba, who paid huge sums of money to have him come to Egypt and film with him, while he is not considered a public figure and does not make any significant contribution other than nervousness and screaming.
Some have compared the interest in the visit of the Turkish star of communication with the visit of actor Gerard Butler to Egypt at about the same time, whose visit - despite its importance - did not receive similar coverage of the visit of "Koksal Baba".
On the other hand, some expressed their great happiness with the arrival of "Baba" to Egypt, stressing that the man deserves this great popularity and denouncing this great amount of anger towards him, and wondering about the error in his presence in Egypt or his participation in the opening of a restaurant.
Sorry, there are always people like this who have the knot of the foreigner, who is sweet and beautiful 🤷 ♀️ Some Egyptian boys went to the Turkish #Koksal_Baba because they had their hands on their backs and the girls went to hug and kiss them 🤷 ♀️ He is the face of Egypt, he takes money and walks 🤷 ♀️ When he meets people I want to hit and get money too, why don't you 🤷 ♀️ # ridiculous https://t.co/H68PrdI9vA pic.twitter.com/T87ocbwVZe
— Vive l'Egypte 𓂀 🇪🇬 𓋹 (@AngieElSherif) February 26, 2022
Aerobics Supah Star
— crystal (@crystal) March 23, 2006
How did the taste of the Egyptian public descend into crowds and standing in queues to meet a man who trades with his disability and hits them on the back so that everyone laughs, my dear and my enemy from whatever land you are, you can stuff the Egyptian taste with any shit and you will find someone who likes it.
Fahmy writes
https://t.co/MwBWHBsWw0
— rasha elshamy Rasha Elshamy (@rasha_elshamy) February 26, 2022
On the right, Gerard Butler, one of the most important actors in the world, and the second Coxal Baba, he makes comic videos based on his short stature. The two are in Egypt. All the press sites. Take a look at Papa Koxal at the airport. Darin saw him and brought him Jaredat and Gerard Butler is in Egypt. .twitter.com/taOvPwxb9l
— Amr Fahmy (@AmrFahm51034920) February 26, 2022
Hey Pasha Koksal Baba, this is a light-blooded personality who has achieved great fame and wide spread
in it. What is it when he visits Egypt and people like to imagine with him or attend the opening of an ordinary restaurant, my brothers? Why do you
feel that he is doing something wrong? I do not take care of her. Something for example?!
— Mamdouh NasrAllah (@MamdouhNasrAllh) February 25, 2022
I don't know what's so funny about Koksal Baba?
I don't know if you are playing fantasy, how do you kill the fun of football?
I don't know how to see this guy, how good/beast?
I don't know how to breathe?
What you don't like, you can avoid without giving people lessons in taste or how they walk their lives and stop us with your silence 😂
— Mahmoud Diaa (@MahmoudDiaaa) February 25, 2022
The moment Koksal Baba, the famous Turkish blogger, arrived in Egypt..
- Oh, the best news in my life 😂😂♥️.. pic.twitter.com/dNspCCJjr9
— HADY 👑💮🌿 (@5511Had) February 24, 2022
The people who ask about this man and his seat make a mistake about it. This is the name of Koksal Baba, a YouTuber. Someone who is not in his full mental strength. His parents are dead. He is the one who raises this neighbor. He is 44 years old. He does not bully anyone and does not understand something like this. Literally half of his money goes to orphans, and why is it more than a charitable project? pic.twitter.com/T0j6oPytbW
— amr hamdon 🇪🇬🇪🇬🇪🇬 (@amrhamdon) February 25, 2022
Trafficking in Human Beings
Egyptian media were keen to cover Koksal Baba's visit to Cairo firsthand, and a large number of Egyptians were keen to watch the Turkish social media star face to face, and take pictures and videos of him and with him.
The controversy over Baba's visit did not stop at the exaggerated attention, but reached the point where the Egyptian media, Mohamed El-Baz, accused a restaurant that the Turkish star visited of a number of crimes, including insulting the Egyptian flag, inciting immorality and immorality, and human trafficking against the background of using the Turkish star. in announcing it.
The matter also came to Parliament when a member of the Egyptian House of Representatives, Ghada Ajami, announced that she had taken a parliamentary action in objection to the method of employing the Egyptian flag in advertising for a barbecue shop with the participation of Koksal Baba.
And the website "Fi Al-Fan" quoted the Egyptian representative as saying that the Egyptian flag has all the appreciation and respect and we bow to it, and it cannot be placed in propaganda in a provocative way behind the high chair, as was done during Pope's visit.
Ajami said that she will submit a request for a briefing or an urgent statement in Parliament within days, "because we must be responsible in these matters, and there are many ways to make propaganda in a respectful and patriotic manner."