By By: Oyem, Israel Ekene
The rate at which content creation is growing beyond imagination in this part of the world is worthy of being studied. There are new videos, skits and short clips being uploaded online every day, reaching millions of people within and outside our country. Social media has presented s stage for the display of our culture, highlight of our values and share the richness of our society. But what are we rich with? What’s our richness being displayed through the lens of our content being shared. Alongside the immense potential here in our country, there is a growing trend of content being uploaded or littering the internet that distorts our image as a nation rather than elevates it.
If we conscientiously check what goes viral, we would notice much of it focuses on things that aren’t making sense. Videos promoting extreme stunts in the name of pranks, unnecessary chaos, or even unhygienic acts have become popular and are now grabbing attention quickly. Someone ones said that if you want to go viral in this part of this world just do something shameless or nonsensical—acts that are bizarre or below basic standards of dignity. We’ve seen trends where people degrade themselves, like digging bread into mud waters and eating it. Videos like this have drawn thousands of views and shares. We are now left to wonder what the essence of this kind of videos are? Is this content creation or country destruction? While some clips may be to promote entertainment, they do little to communicate intelligence we portray, creativity and moral values of Nigerians. These type of skits or content seem to project a society that celebrates absurdities over sense and substance.
Content creation is a reflection of every society from which it is being made. What we value can be seen from what we share online, or at least what we tolerate or give attention to. To know which of responsibility or entertainment we value, we should check the sensibility in the content we have that stems from our content creators and ask ourselves the simple question of, “of what use is this content?” Global audience sees these clips and they begin to see Nigeria and Nigerians from that lens—the lens of the content we create. It doesn’t mean we should jettison entertainment for seriousness, but it raises a thought-provoking question: are we using this platform to tell a story of who we are or we choose to allow these noises define us.
With social media, the potential and possibility of creating positive impact is immense and realistic. Social media and online platforms can serve as a tool for education, inspiration, and preservation of our culture. Social media can be used to show the world the depth of our creativity as a nation without degrading our worth. When content creators consciously produce contents that entertain while also adding value—whether through thoughtful humour or meaningful narratives, they have the power to shift narratives registered in the hearts of non-nigerian audience.
Conclusively, the onus is on us as a people. It is a call to both creators and consumers to think critically about what we watch and give support to indirectly. If we don’t support it, we won’t share it or promote it. Let us not forget that we are a product of what we see, hear and read. Viral attention should not be the only measure of success. We must ask ourselves and question the veracity of the value, intelligence or dignity of our society being portrayed through these contents. Does it tell a story we are proud of? Or would it give the impression of a same society? Content creation is more than just entertainment; it is a reflection of our identity and society. We are a society full of potential creativity: let’s behave as such.
