SOCIAL MEDIA, NEW GATEWAY TO SURVIVAL IN NIGERIA

I just opened my social media now to read trending news for the day and the first news that stared my face is news of a man on social media with a placard with inscription:

“AM HUNGRY, WANT TO EAT  WITH E-MONEY AND DANGOTE”

The man was receiving N20,000 on the picture with some Dangote product items from Kokun Foundation.

Social Media has come to the rescue of this man just for his boldness to confront hardship and hunger that way without any fear or shame.

Just recently, the media has been awashed with the story of Success, a little girl whose story went viral for being sent home from school because of School fees.

It was outrage all over and many people came to the rescue of the poor girl and her family. Today, Success is a celebrity going to media houses to grant interviews in her favorite piggin English.

The Story of Olajumoke who photo bumped into shooting by popular photographer TY Bello, who felt the girl had the attributes of a model and was too pretty to be hucking bread on the street of Lagos. TY Bello publicized her story and it went viral.

Today, Olajukome is a full time model earning millions and has since moved away from her ghetto aboard to luxurious apartment in highbrow part of Lagos giving to them free.  

Almost everyday, many people beg money across social media especially from Celebrities just to survive the ravaging hardship. The most interesting part is that the people that respond to these heart wrenching posts are not even known to the person before but they still choose to help and distance is no longer a barrier.

It’s crystal clear that social media ability to help integrate communities into a one family or global village has helped many people to survive as people are bold to stay behind the curtain and post their problems and pray that tg catches the sympathy of social media users to make it viral for rescue to come.

Now the big question is, why is it that many that have chosen the road to hell by suicide because of one form of depression or the other like one young Final year student of UNN I just read his story this morning that he committed suicide and posted it on social media instead of seeking helping through the same social media rather than choosing the road to hell.?

The question remains a rhetorical question but it will surely not diminish the role of social media as the new gateway to survival in Nigeria.

#JesusIsTheGreatest