As Nigerian groups and individuals continue to mount
pressure on government through social media platform to rescue the over 200
Secondary School Girls kidnapped by the Boko Haram sect in Chibok, the
#BringBackOurGirls# hash tag had already generated over 2 million signatures.
Co-debator at a monthly public debate organised by Speakers’
Corner Trust Nigeria (SCTN), Ms. Viola Okolie, who said the link remains the
most retweeted, noted that the social media platform was a veritable tool to
galvanise change, adding that it gives the people opportunity to air their
views on government policies.
Okolie, while canvassing the view that social media could be used as a catalyst for
change and put the government on its toes, cautioned against spreading
unverified information via the social media platforms.
“As at last week #bring back our girls# hash tag as
generated 2 million signatures”; she said, noting that it had shown that the
social media could forced government to take actions that would drive a change
and also make it accountable to the people that voted them into power.
Reacting, Mr. Stanley Bentu said the lack of control and
regulation of social media made it more dangerous, stressing that variety of
information could be given out without teaching the audience how to process it,
thus leading to violent protest.
He posited that though the social media was a veritable tool
for creating awareness but not a catalyst for change as it, and pointed out
that a media that was too loose and volatile could not be relied on as a tool
for change.
Chairman, Board of Directors of the group, Dr. Timiebi
Koripemo-Agary, said human engagement makes a lot of difference in getting to
people emotionally and psychologically, adding that the Boko Haram sect was
fighting the wrong people by kidnapping the Chibok girls as their parents are
not in government.
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