CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
The advancement of modern technology, along with the ever-changing complexity of the world’s societies, has revolutionized the way information is gathered and disseminated. Citizens have taken use of the chance provided by current technologies to stay up with what is going on around them as a result of this progress. The internet has become the most significant technical revolution of the twentieth century, with a large portion of the world’s population having access to it. It is currently the world’s largest marketplace, with products, services, information, ideas, and knowledge available at the touch of a button.
The desire for power and the need for change have been recurring elements in every democratized society. Politicians that desire power do so by forming political parties that share their ideology, ideals, and goals. Those who want to challenge the existing quo and promote revolutionary ideas join groups to make their dreams a reality. Both parties, on the other hand, will be unable to realize their goals and ambitions without the backing of the general public.
However, before they can join the train, the target supporters want convincing information. The media, as a true tool of political socialization, comes into play here. Globalisation’s entry into world politics has altered the socio-political landscape of global politics. Globalisation has tentacles in all facet of human activities and interactions, like an Octopus. Globalisation’s strength, on the other hand, is based on changes and technological developments in the nature, timeliness, and efficacy of the internet. The internet, which supports various social platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp, Instagram, Telegram, and many others, is faster and more open to response than traditional media forums such as print media, television, radio, and telephony, and has thus become a veritable information gathering, dissemination, and evaluation instrument. There was a debate about online activism between “cyber-enthusiasts” and “cyber-skeptics” during the Twitter revolution (Gadi et al, 2013, p.1). The web gives people a misconception of political participation and prevents them from participating in physical protests, according to cyber-skeptics, whereas cyber-enthusiats saw the internet as a tool to mobilize and inform people for greater social transformation. However, the cyber-enthusiasts have won the debate over the years, as online activism, particularly hashtag activism, has been used to achieve social transformation, as evidenced by #OccupyWallStreet, #BlackLivesMatter #BringBackOurGirls #Ferguson, #ArabSpring, and most recently the #Endsars campaign in Nigeria, which has had a lot of success.
Nigerian online activism dates back to 2009, when former Nigerian rapper eLDee turned to Twitter to vent his dissatisfaction with the country’s intermittent power supply. This came after his friend’s procedure was postponed due to a power outage. He invited four other young Nigerians, Sheile Ojei, Amara Nwakpa, Seyi Kuyinu, and Banky W, a Nigerian singer, to join him in a public conversation about the country’s bad electricity condition (Odewale, 2014). The term “Light Up Nigeria” came up during their internet conversation.
Nigerian politicians and political parties now use Twitter to give critical information and education to the public about their programs and/or manifestos at various times.
STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
The issue is that Nigerian political activists have struggled to mobilize their political acts and communicate with large audiences and potential supporters through mainstream media. The issue stems from the nature of traditional media. In Nigeria, mainstream media businesses are either owned by the government or by profit-driven corporations. Alternative political or anti-government beliefs have a hard time finding a home in the mainstream media in either instance. The project investigates “whether Twitter can be used as an alternative to mainstream media by political activists to freely and efficiently promote their views and generate political protests.”
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The major goal of this research is to assess the utility of Twitter as a medium for political education in Nigeria, with a focus on the #EndSars protest. The following are the specific goals that this research study aims to achieve:
To see if Twitter has any influence on people’s political education in Lagos State.
To determine how effective Twitter has been in providing political education to the people of Lagos State.
To determine how Twitter has aided the people of Lagos State in their political education.
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
The following research issues will be addressed by the project.
Is Twitter having an impact on people’s political education in Lagos State?
What is the extent to which Twitter has offered political education to Lagos State residents?
What are some of the ways Twitter has helped people in Lagos State learn about politics?
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The study will provide extra understanding on the subject issue because it is a relatively new field in Nigeria’s ever-dynamic sector of communication. Because social media techniques have yet to be thoroughly explored for political campaigns in Nigeria, it is intended that the study would educate politicians and political parties on the role of Twitter in current political communication. In addition, the findings of this study will assist the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and civil society organizations in developing programs to promote the use of new media technologies in Nigeria’s electoral process. Finally, the outcomes of this study will serve as a springboard for future political communication research.
SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The recent EndSars protest will be the focus of a study on the utility of Twitter as a tool for political education. It will concentrate on Twitter’s effectiveness during Nigeria’s peaceful protests, utilizing Lagos as a case study.
LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
Financial constraints – A lack of funds impedes the researcher’s efficiency in locating relevant materials, literature, or information, as well as in the data gathering procedure (internet, questionnaire and interview).
Time constraint: The researcher will be working on this subject while also doing other academic tasks. As a result, the amount of time spent on research will be reduced.
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