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The Role Of Twitter As A Tool For Political Education
[A CASE STUDY OF THE END SARS PROTEST]
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CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background to the study
The growth of modern technology and the ever changing complex nature societies of the world have revolutionalized the way and manner information gathering and dissemination is carried out. Citizens, with this development, have utilised the opportunity created by modern technologies in satisfying their quest to keep abreast of happenings around them. The internet has become the biggest technological revolution of the 20th century with a sizeable number of the population of the world having access to it. It is now the biggest market place where one can find products, services, information, ideas and knowledge at the mere click of a button. The use of these technologies is the provision of efficient, cost-effective and convenient sharing of vital information among the people via online media tools known as the social media.
In every democratized society, the quest for power and the agitation for change have been recurrent decimals. Politicians who seek for control seek to achieve their aims through political parties that support their ideologies, visions, and aspirations. In the same vein, those who seek to change the status and champion the ideas of revolution also form groups to actualize their visions. Both parties however cannot achieve their aims and ambitions without getting the support of the generality of the people.
However, the target supporters need convincing information before they could also join the train. This is where the media comes in as a veritable tool of political socialization.
The entrance of globalisation into world politics has changed the socio-political milieu of global politics. Globalisation stands as an Octopus with its tentacles in every aspect of human activities and interactions. However, the strength of globalisation lies in transformations and technological advancements in the nature, timing, and efficacy of the internet. The internet, which supports various social platforms such as the Facebook, twitter, Whatsapp, Instagram, telegram, and many others, are faster and open to quicker response than the orthodox media forums such as the print media, television, radio, and telephony, and therefore has become veritable instrument of information gathering,dissemination, and evaluation. With social media, one is wont to align with Friedman (2007),
Therefore, the internet in this era of globalisation plays a vital role in shaping political attitudes, promoting political involvements and influences voting behaviour globally. The social media is defined as “the new information network and information technology, using a form of communication utilizing interactive and user- produced content, and interpersonal relationships are created and maintained. (Sanatokeskus TSK: Sosaalisen median sanato. Helsinki 2010).
Twitter therefore promotes interaction and public participation over various issues of human concerns. Therefore, the unhindered interactive nature of Twitter has given vast opportunities to the public to engage in interactions over several issues that relates to Nigeria. This study would, reveal that the opportunities created by Twitter have given the users of Twitter, largely, the power to affect the political and social aspects of Nigeria.
During Twitter revolution period, there was a debate about online activism between the “cyber-enthusiasts†and the “cyber-skeptics†(Gadi et al, 2013, p.1). Cyber- skeptics gave little importance to new media in achieving social change through activism as the web gives people a misconception of political participation and prevents them from partaking in physical protesting; while the cyber- enthusiats saw the use of the internet has a tool to mobilise and inform people for greater social transformation. However, over the years, the cyber-enthusiasts have won the debate as online activism particularly hashtag activism has been used in achiving social transformation as with the example of #OccupyWallStreet, #BlackLivesMatters #BringBackOurGirls #Ferguson, #ArabSpring and recently the #Endsars campaign in Nigeria which has yielded lots of success.
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