AFRICA IN THE HOUR OF SOCIAL MEDIA

by Simeon Nkola Matamba ( Follow on Twitter )




The rapid evolution of events in Africa is a matter of interest. On one side wars, diseases, sicknesses, underdevelopment, on the other side an emerging continent with countries struggling to transcend and find a place in the universe of developed countries. Africa as a whole is the theatre of diverse evolutions that the eye cannot always catch. TV and radio stations are far from providing a full and accurate picture of various occurrences. Most of the time, the emphasis remains on the dark side. Wars, diseases, poverty and all that goes with it are the main topics. Mainstream medias are relied on to keep the world posted on the rhythm of events, having gained an aura that their words and reports are taken as gospel. Disagreeing means one is victim of some mental deficiency called “conspiracy theorism”, a disease of the century affecting huge numbers of people around the world.

The social media revolution has at least for now changed this reality to a small extent. The beginning of the twenty-first century has seen the rise of social networks, using the internet to connect people. It is now more difficult to suffer from a severe paucity of information, because masses have in their hands necessary tools to learn what is happening in their fields of interest, to spread whatever they deem relevant. First computers, now phones, the internet has made information easily accessible and shareable, and passed are the times the gospel of news was delivered by the only ordained and consecrated medias. A 12 year old kid with a phone can holler, using a hashtag on Twitter, getting hundreds of people to join and promote a cause. On Facebook, networks are built with random friends and one needs some skills plus brain power to manage and control a big circle of friends.

Like everywhere, Africans are very well implanted in social medias. Millions of them connect every day and share stories. Nevertheless, their impact in the social media landscape remains meager. Meager because posts' contents on Facebook or Twitter, Instagram, etc.. are simply appalling.  Most of the time private lives, pictures of parties, selfies, comments on a certain movie or song by an american artist, or some live-tweeting of an award ceremony are at the top of the heap. Africans have trivialized the power of social media and the impact of crucial information in the development and revolution we all believe in.

Following the last bomb attack that made 71 victims in Nigeria, I read a tweet that caught my attention. A nigerian was complaining that if the bomb attack had taken place in Europe, there would have been an outcry all over the world. With the liberalization of information, do we still complain that our stories are not making headlines to trigger an outcry, meanwhile we have large audiences on social networks? Africa does not need mouth pieces from Al Jazeera, CNN, BBC or whatever channel. Events known as “The Arab Spring” could never electrify whole countries and get crowds to come in droves for demonstrations if social networks were not used efficiently. The same approach has to be used on a larger scale for the whole continent.

The importance of social media must not be downplayed. Mainstream medias’ monopoly of information keeps crowds forced to swallow dirty substances of propaganda. Biased news and reports will only contribute to reinforcing the image the world has of Africa.  Africans needs to take advantage of the social media revolution, come with their own narrative, their own methods, to tell the truth of what is happening, without forgetting to mention stories of success, because not everything is dark. Africans are pretty set to act and no one will do that for them.