George Ude
As a student and teacher of Mass Communication/ Journalism for years now, I am totally baffled, marveled and at loss on how Nigerians haveabused the social media platforms, by using it to spread falsehood and fan the embers of war, disunity and crises. In doing this, they throw caution, ethics, decorum, professionalism and facts into the mud and wind, forgetting the simple guide or rudiment of news gathering and reporting, which is that the authenticity or genuineness of the source or sources of information is of much importance than the information itself. It is for this reason that every news item must not only be attributed to a source or sources as the case may be, but such attribution must be verifiable, factual and authentic. This was the standard, approved and acceptable practice globally, before the advent of social media platforms.
Social media invention is a good technological development, considering its efficiency and reliability in spreading and passing information quickly. Unfortunately in Nigeria, it has become platform to spread falsehood, malign characters and throw tantrums at people and go scot-free. Today in Nigeria, almost everybody is a journalist, writer, political analyst, and social media influencer.
It is now a case of motor mechanics not allowing the people know the difference between them and madmen. It seems thatwhat it requires for one to be a journalist in Nigeria today is to purchase any Chinese android phone, subscribe to any telecom data and then open social media accounts in the comfort of his home, using your name or pseudo name and then start pouring invectives and vituperations on people and spread lies as it pleases him without any sanctions. After all, there is no censor or regulations. In this case, freedom of speech becomes absolute, even when it is known in law and journalism that there is no absolute freedom of speech anywhere, not even in the developed countries, where we copied our media practice from.
The above narrative points out to the falsehood about Enugu State that had been trending on social media platforms recently, which is nothing but a well-orchestrated social media plot to portray the state governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and his government in a bad light. In less than one month, there has been series of sponsored social media attacks embedded in lies against the governor, the people and government of Enugu State. First was the fake report that herdsmen kidnapped a pregnant woman in Nkanu, killed her removed her fetus and Governor Ugwuanyi went there to cry; then comes another twisted video where the purveyors claimed that Nigerian Army were using helicopter to drop food items for herdsmen in Akwuke community in Enugu South council area of Enugu State.
This lie was immediately debunked by Acting Command Public Relations and Information Officer, Headquarters Ground Training Command Nigerian Air Force, Flight Lt. Faith Aigbeoghain, who described the report as false, deliberately misleading and obviously concocted by the purveyors to cause panic, incite negativity and divisive emotions. Till date, the people of the community are living in peace without any herdsmen attack or presence and there was no herder/ farmers clash anywhere in the state in recent times. Not quite long another video clip surfaced on social media platforms, where the peddlers claimed it was the people of Nenwe community in Aninri Council Area of Enugu, chasing Fulani herdsmen and their cattle out of their community. As if these social media lies were not enough, a lady who by her thoughts and articulations never showed any good knowledge of Enugu State, not to talk about the giant strides of the government was sponsored to a viral video on social media platforms, where she disparaged and libeled the office of the governor of Enugu State, the governor and his government for no just cause. The sequences and timing of these video clips and attacks on the governor and his office raise more questions than answers.
So while on earth or in a saner clime should anybody take her, her sponsors and their antics serious, if not that majority of us including the elite have fallen prey to social media antics and rants because of our gullibility. No ethics, law or professionalism in news or information gathering and dissemination in Nigeria anymore. Every lies on social media platforms is being swallowed hook, line and sinker these days. This is a very dangerous growing trend that may plunge the country into unimaginable crises, if not properly handled.
Just think of it, the lady in question accused Ugwuanyi of being in support of the suspended RUGA settlement project in Enugu, when it is on record that none of the southeast governors including Ugwuanyi is supportive of the controversial project. In short, the Chairman of the Southeast Governors Forum and Ebonyi State, Engr. Dave Umahi, made the position of the Forum clear in a press statement, where he categorically state that there is no land in Southeast for RUGA project. What else do those behind the impudent, misleading and twisted video clips want from Ugwuanyi? Ugwuanyi’s visit to Nenwe community with heads of security agencies to ascertain the veracity of the trending video clip is expected of him as the Chief Security Officer of the state. It is not expected of him to wait till there is a clash before he can visit. His visit was a proactive step that doused tension. Unfortunately for the peddlers of the fake video, the people of Nenwe community debunked the incident. Ugwuanyi, I know too well may not be loquacious like some of his colleagues, but he has carved a niche for himself in the leadership with his outstanding performance in the face of daunting challenges.
With the way some Nigerians have shamelessly abused the use of social media platforms which is capable of plunging the country into crisis, I can now see the justification behind its ban or restriction in countries like China, Turkey, North Korea and others that are more developed, civilized and progressive than Nigeria. I can now see why a country like North Korea effectively created its own internet that does not connect to Wider Worldwide Web.
Ude, a scholar and communication expert writes from Florida, USA
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