Social Media To The Rescue;

Social Media As Africa’s Safe Public Reform Tool.

Japheth J, Omojuwa

Catholic University of Eastern Africa, Nairobi, Kenya

10th May, 2014

#SFL_EARC #BringBackOurGirls

It starts here

This is the hub of the Liberty conversation in #Africa. Add your voice, become the change and take your voice to the continent

and across the world

AfricanLiberty.org

#SFL_EARC #BringBackOurGirls

Your Government Wants You Quiet All The Time! (Except You

Speak For Them)• Silence does not win the war of socio-political &

economic reforms

• You have a voice but the power of that voice will

remain in a state of inertia until you are intentional

about using it for the change your society craves

• Your voice of itself will never be enough in your vast

society, you need amplifiers

#SFL_EARC #BringBackOurGirls

Case Study: #BringBackOurGirls

• Terrorists abducted over 200 school girls at Chibok, Borno State, north-east of #Nigeria

(14/04/2014)

• To show how much he cared about the plight of the girls, Nigeria’s President Jonathan

was pictured dancing at a political rally in Kano, about 200km from the point of

abduction (15/04/2014)

• The Nigerian Army released a statement that the girls had been rescued (16/04/2014)

• The claim was then proven to be untrue. The Army retracted, then apologised to the

general public (17/04/2014)

#SFL_EARC #BringBackOurGirls

How Nigerians Got The World Interested: #BringBackOurGirls

• A Lawyer Ibrahim M. Abdullahi @Abu_Aaid in #Abuja who was

watching a UNESCO World Book programme on TV adapted the chant

to #BringBackOurGirls on @Twitter (23/04/2014)

• #BringBackOurGirls forced the hands of the Nigerian president to

FINALLY speak about the abduction publicly…it took about two weeks

to respond

• The President then inaugurated a let-it-look-like-I-am-doing-something

‘fact-finding’ committee on the 6th of May

• The government’s reaction showed it remain unconcerned about the

#ChibokGirls, so the hashtag continued growing

#SFL_EARC #BringBackOurGirls

#BringBackOurGirls

#SFL_EARC #BringBackOurGirls

#BringBackOurGirls

#SFL_EARC #BringBackOurGirls

#BringBackOurGirls

#SFL_EARC #BringBackOurGirls

How To Make Change Happen In An Oppressive Society

• Find those who share your views, align with them. You

cannot do it alone!

• For your own good, seek powerful alliances beyond

your country. Start those alliances from here

• Make social media become your global amplifier

• Own the conversation. Decide the issues. Be

Proactive#SFL_EARC #BringBackOurGirls

Social Media Offers You Several Tools

• Twitter: In short sentences, with the potency of facts,

with the flow of your passion, tweet your voice

• Facebook: Each post has the potential to win you allies,

takes you to potential supporters, strengthens your

quest for change

• Instagram: Your voice in pictures. One picture can tell

one thousand stories and more

• Others: WhatsApp, BlackBerry, 2Go, Eskimi, Pinterest…

#SFL_EARC #BringBackOurGirls

Social Media is Power, But You Need More

• You need more than tweets and Facebook posts, you need to at

times hit the streets, you need to at times meet the policy

makers to state exactly what you want done

• The old tools of change e.g. television, radio, one-on-one

engagements remain very useful and powerful

• Change is a process, it is a collection of battles and it will not

happen without your persistence and never-say-die attitude#SFL_EARC #BringBackOurGirls

The Old Order Will Fight Back!• Those who benefit from our dysfucntional societies prefer the status

quo

• They will fight back!

• Arrests & Blackmail are some of their most popular tools

• They will offer you a seat at the table of Oppression, they will offer

you a chance to become part of them. This often works and many

have been silenced by this.

• You can join government but know exactly what you want to change &

be sincere about your chances

• Always remember, the quest for Change is an unending war with

many battles. Stay vigilant & stay prepared!#SFL_EARC #BringBackOurGirls

It Is Not Enough To Say What You Don’t Want

• What do you want? Design alternative policies and

ideas.

• Better ideas can win but you need the buy-in of the

public

• Use blogs and other social media platforms to

amplify your ideas. Take up TV & Radio interviews

• Always look to work with organisations &

individuals who share your beliefs

#SFL_EARC #BringBackOurGirls

#ThankYou• #Africa #Kenya

• #SFL_EARC

• #EastAfrica

• jj@omojuwa.com

• T: @omojuwa

• www.omojuwa.com

• #IamNigeria

Japheth J, Omojuwa