Abstract
Over time, internet penetration, social media production and consumption have skyrocketed with the unparalleled hike in advancement, adaptation and usage of information communication and technologies (ICTs). This geometric increment has greatly influenced the character of politics and administration in countries especially in emergent liberal democracies where populism has continued to be misapplied. In such countries, Nigeria inclusive, political leaderships have strangulated safeguards through mindful annihilation of institutions of checks and balances thereby subjugating the citizenry. Social media has thus turned out a veritable platform for activists to create awareness on socio-political issues and mobilize protests. This study, therefore, focuses on the strength of social media in creating social, political awareness and mobilizing political protests in Nigeria. In this study, the #BringBackOurGirls, #RevolutionNow and #EndSars protests as test cases will be examined to understand the dynamic role of social media in creating group consciousness and mobilizing political protests in Nigeria. The study problematique will be approached using the qualitative research design through secondary sources of data that shall be analyzed content-wise. Based on the in-depth espouse of related literature, the social movement theory serves as the basic theoretical framework of analysis for the study. The study observed that a long period of marginalization and suppression of sections of the Nigerian society capped in lack of accountability and irresponsible governance constitute the major rationale for the massification of groups on social media. It also observed that orchestrated repressive measures bottled up anger in individual citizens who converge on social media groups to ventilate their displeasure and grievances. These social media platforms which enable seamless and rapid distribution of socio-political information generate public sympathy that wakes up clannish ties, propels people, to sum up group grievances and incite members against the state. The study, therefore, surmised that widespread smartphone usage boosts group consciousness and facilitates group mobilization and protests against bad leadership.
Highlights
Unparalleled growth in social media penetration and usage is exponentially shapingcommunication patterns and networks across the globe
The #BringBackOurGirls, #RevolutionNow and #EndSars protests as test cases will be examined to understand the dynamic role of social media in creating group consciousness and mobilizing political protests in Nigeria
Nigerian citizens who were hitherto deprived of freedom of expression with muzzled press ventilate their anger and demand accountability through social media platforms, the opposition and even disgruntled politicians share uncommon views and facts about the government
Summary
Unparalleled growth in social media penetration and usage is exponentially shaping (tele)communication patterns and networks across the globe. Information is seamlessly transmitted simultaneously in virality to users often without filtering and verification thereby making it harmful, damaging and destructive (Teh, Huah, & Si, 2014) This way, the doings and ruinations of governments are disseminated in conspiracies and innuendoes to generate public sympathy, incite citizens especially members of suppressed, marginalized and disadvantaged ethnic/sectional groups. Nigerians share and disseminate news, information and knowledge in the forms of articles, comments, audio records, video clips to and within their social media circles Where this information and knowledge have an overarching influence on readers/users’ (group members’) behaviour and perception of the state and the government, studies show that social media platforms are used for various purposes ranging from social networking, communication, interests aggregation and membership recruitment to socio-political mobilization, political/electioneering campaign to electoral participation, information dissemination to education, entertainment and product/brand marketing, etc. Comments and representations on social media do engage, create and reawaken group consciousness by sensitizing and painting common issues as collective problems that deserve group care and attention
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