It's somehow disappointing that we live in an era of social media and it has dawned on us a lot of disadvantages rather than the advantages of it. Just before now, it was only on the news and radio broadcasts that we got to know about what’s happening around the world. But nowadays once you have your data on. From the comfort of your device in your hands, you can get to know what’s going on all over the world.
The media was an avenue for reaching out to the public, though some things that happened behind the scenes are not always shown. But we only see what they want us to see, and that's the picture we all have in our heads.
When the government decides to do something, then they will broadcast it afterward. They will make a grand opening that even those in the farthest place will get to know about it. But what matters is how far has the job gone. How well was it?? For how long will it be useful?
I remember the time the government decided to construct a road in our area that would link our community to the next one. They got it on the media that they would be constructing good roads, and they showed their plans and many other advantages that would come from it. Everyone was so happy with it that even at last the government got to look at our side.
Poor people, not knowing we were just being used for their political games. They started the construction as usual, it should be a two-lane construction as they had promised. They destroyed some people’s homes but it was all for the betterment of the community.
They intentionally delayed the project till election time and then spread their campaign all around. With the ongoing construction, people voted for them in masses and they won again. To date we just have a lane constructed and the other lane has been left untouched. Two governors were elected after that and it still remained the same or even worse.
But when they wanted to launch the project they did a two-lane entrance and then that is where they got their ribbons tied and then the governor came to launch it. The media only took a capture of that place ignoring the other untouched area. That's how annoying the media could be.
The last one I experienced was an empowerment program by the government. This time around it wasn't even the government doing the trick, but the citizens in charge. They were asked to distribute an amount of 100 thousand naira to every participant with proof.
Now, those in charge gave two participants 100 thousand then they were asked to be in batches. The first batch held the money and they snapped and took video with it. Then they gave it to the other batch to do the same. In the end, they get to share the money in half. Instead of 100 thousand, they went away with 50 thousand. Where has the remaining half gone? And all over the media, they have it that they empowered all of those who participated with that amount.
Sincerely I don't think there is a way out of this than for us to be truthful and not out of greediness keep spreading what's not true all across the media.
This is my response to the HIVE LEARNERS weekly prompt in the hive-learners community for the Week 162 Edition 1 and the topic to be discussed is SOCIAL MEDIA AND POLITICS
