For many persons owning a Facebook account or Twitter account is one of the proofs of belonging to the Twenty-First century, for others instagram does it all.
It is usually strange when you tell people "I am not on Facebook or I don't know how to operate Twitter". For a country like Nigeria that has a budding youth population, the strength of its growth relies hugely on its youth possibility and potentials, at such the So cial media has given much voice to those who would be rather neglected.
Many government agencies and organizations now find the social media important because they understand that the best way to get feedback is to see what youths who throng the social media are saying.
The social media has now become a very important part of the Nigerian society, recently the wife of the President, Aisha Buhari stated that the regulators of the Social Media are not doing enough to curb the menace of hate speech that is threatening to bring down the government of Muhammadu Buhari. As a matter of fact, countries are now looking at ways of regulating the social media. Most recently, Nigeria stated that it has plans to regulate the Social Media. The Nigerian Senate took a step of proposing death sentencing for those who propagate "hate speech".
With the growing importance of the need for development in the Country, it has become very pertinent for the government to enact policies that will bring about a friendly social media, policies such as good governance would bring about a more efficient social media platform with a less provocated citizenry.
The instance of Sowore's rearrest that has led to public outcry is an instance that shows us that we can dictate what we want the social media to look like; either full of constant outcry or contributions on how the government can further serve the people further.
The efforts to create stringent laws on social media management is not the best solution to what the government sees as an affront on its sovereignty of decisions.
The government should come to the reality that they cannot for any reason shut down the social media.
The social media has played more positive roles in Nigeria than negative especially in keeping a government that is lacking on citizen-friendly policies on its toes.
While the use of Social Media for propaganda has become high, that can be said to be what can be curbed by current laws if respected and followed.
We need to appreciate what the Social Media does while asking ourselves the question, who makes the social media toxic? The government or it's citizens?
Olanrewaju Oyedeji
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