It seems the issues confronting bloggers are getting multifaceted and will as a matter of time, become complicated.
I wonder what the essence of the Freedom Of Information Bill that was passed in 2011 is, when the media is not utilising it effectively.
We need to start asking questions in this our beloved country called Nigeria.
The Military regime of yesteryears have gone by, and we are now in a democratic dispensation. We need to speak up against what is wrong, and also for what is right.
It beats my imagination when I hear the Nigerian government, through the Bureau for Public Enterprise (BPE) are drawing up plans to 'regulate' the use of social media.
If you can recall vividly, some months back, a secret plan was discovered that the Nigerian government was on the cusp of signing a $40 million deal with an Israeli firm to monitor emails of Nigerians.
The government had to backtrack on that plan due to widespread criticisms, including from opposition parties.
The use of social media in Nigeria cannot be over emphasised, but it seems I have to emphasise this and drive home my points.
First of all, can we imagine a world without social media?
Prior to the new millennium, most Nigerians knew next to nothing about the Internet, not to talk of social media.
I can safely say that social media is one of the best things to happen to Nigeria and Nigerians after the advent of the GSM.
Take the 'Social' out of the Social media, what do we get? Media. Media is a platform to source for and derive information from.
To be social means to be interactive with other people, it could be with people they may know or people they do not know. After all, man, by nature, is created to be a social being.
If the government wants to take the social media away from us by virtue of 'regulation', then I suggest they not only take the 'Social', but also take the 'media' along.
I do not understand the rationale behind the so-called 'regulation' of social media. It is like trying to take away the private lives of Nigerians.
Social media has actually been a blessing to Nigerians.
In a country where unemployment is prevailant, and no means of allowance after graduation (apart from NYSC allowance), Nigerians have explored the endless possibilities of social media by engaging in one form of business or the other just to make ends meet.
Are they going to take away our means of livelihood as well all in the name of 'regulating' the use of social media?
A good question begging for an answer.
Do you know how many fellow bloggers will suffer if this 'regulation' were to come to fruition?
Do you know how many businesses will fold up if this 'regulation' were to be implemented?
I can only imagine.
The 'hate' for bloggers can only get worse if nothing is done about this.
I know some countries ban the use of social media, but we are Nigeria, we cannot be like other countries.
Besides I want to ask? How many atrocities have people committed on social media to warrant this 'regulation'?
I remember the Senate President, David Mark, sometime last year who had initially criticised the use of social media, backtrack to say "Thank God for social media".
His statements came shortly after the killers of the four students of the University of Port Harcourt were identified in a video which went viral on every social media in Nigeria.
I can't also forget to emphasise how the social media helped to settle the case between erstwhile lawmaker, Hon. Farouk Lawan and businessman, Mr. Femi Otedola. At least in our minds, we know the truth.
I also remember the role social media played in the 'Oga At The Top' mantra, which helped to drive home a point.
Most recently, some police officers who were accused of receiving bribes from members of the public were unsuspectingly exposed and disciplined accordingly, all thanks to social media.
I wonder how else I need to emphasise the use of the social media.
I know the defence of the government is that people use the social media to cast aspersions on the personalities of others, but I feel that is not enough reason to 'regulate' the use of social media.
It's like using a sledge hammer to kill an ant.
A proverbial saying goes thus: 'You can't chop off the head just because you have a nasty headache'.
I wish to use this opportunity to once again advocate for the establishment of a Bloggers' Association.
The need for this cannot be over-emphasised.
I fear for the future of blogging in this country if we cannot come together to form an association which will CREATE AN IDENTITY for bloggers in Nigeria.
An association which will PROTECT OUR INTERESTS. As I am aware, there are so many fantastic blogs out there.
So many of our friends in the media field have associations such as the Nigerian Union of Journalism (NUJ), the Sports Writers' Association of Nigeria (SWAN), and several others.
Just last week, I was so pained when I heard a certain celebrity throw insults at a particular blogger for readers' comments she deemed as insulting ( I wonder why any celebrity will read comments by readers and then turn back to blame the blogger for them).
I feel the blogging profession in Nigeria is going to be dragged into the mud further, as some celebrities have now termed bloggers as 'LOW-LIFES'.
Hence there is an urgent need to form an Association to INSTILL RESPECT in that profession called Blogging.
Finally, I want to urge the Federal Government to please consider so many factors because 'regulating' the use of social media will have adverse effects on Nigerians.
Cheers to the weekend!!
@JimCaddy
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