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Before now, like many Nigerian Netizens that leverage social media tools to get, and share information, fraternize, and promote their skills and brand, I used to be indifferent to a call for social media usage regulations as we feel it is an infringement to our fundamental right to expression and information.
Additionally, the social media and creative industry have been blessings to those who are making living out of them since the Nigerian government has failed to provide enabling and secured job environments for her teeming youths who are becoming restive and restless after graduating or dropping out from schools. We feel like, why should they clamp down on what is giving us food and pleasures?
However, with the trends of abuse of the medium by people who through them, promote insanities, inanities and other indecent activities which are against the positive values upon which our Nation was built and should be sustained, I feel it is time for the Nigerian government to take the bull by the horn and ensure strict regulations that will sanitize our societies, otherwise, we would be condemned to damn and doom very very soon.
There is no gainsaying in the fact that we are in a deep mess in this country right now, and if drastic solutions could not be found as soon as possible, we are bound to be consumed by the looming dangers at our doorsteps. No one will safe except those who have no attachment to media and or its users.
Many wings are propelling moral decadence, inhumanity, crimes, deterioration of sociocultural values and ethos which are the orders of the day, but bad social media usage is a critical one that must be clipped as soon as possible.
For instance, the three Abeokuta teenagers that recently chopped off their girlfriend’s head for ritual reasons in their confessions had their source of inspiration traced to a bad social media page. A quick search for #Oshole or #OgunOwo on either Facebook or TikTok would reveal the timed bomb which we are sitting on. One would be overwhelmed with loads of content that promote quick-rich and ostentatious living against hard work and patience.
Check the same Tiktok or Instagram application, and you find out how Nigerian ladies are turning themselves to objects for s*xual pleasures. You see them dressing provocatively, displaying before the camera the most sensitive parts of their bodies to either take part in senseless video challenges for a giveaway, earn incomes or more followers or for personal pleasures. Every one of them wants to ‘BamBam’ and chills with the big boys.
Aside from social media, other aspects that are due for regulations are; our music, movies and other creative industry. The boards responsible for their control and sanitation have lots to do now than before. 95% of the content created from these mediums find their ways to social media which enhances their fast spread and influences internet users, often in negative ways.
Similarly, the three prominent religions in the country have many ‘Osinwin Eniyan’ trending on social media space with their unreligion preachings. Thus, it becomes expedient for decent religious preachers to join hands together to flush out the bad eggs in their midst whilst preaching against activities that promote short-cut to success amongst other trending vices in the name of religions.
Lastly, Nigeria Government and our society must work towards rewarding hard work, honesty, and talents judiciously used to promote positivities and not otherwise. Available facts revealed that we don’t promote and appreciate good content but the one that encourages us to “Zaazou”, “Kala”, “Daju”, “Wuwa Ika”.
May Lord heal our nation.
N.B: Attached to this piece are screenshots of contents that promote quick-rich which are much available on Facebook.
*Bolaji Aladie* is an Ilorin based media practitioner.
