Social Media: Its Bane On African Youths

When we started hearing names like Facebook, twitter, whatsapp, instagram, pintrest and others, it was assumed that Nigeria was growing out of the obsolete ideas of sending vital information via mail and others to whoever needs it. Transaction of business and transfer of vital files can now fly via the net without wasting of time and resources. All you just need is data that is affordable and ever available.

For the mass media, it was a good way to get information across to news and

entertainment consumers. Though, social media is now like the light that is transcending the darkness of the previous era of television and radio centuries yet, it suddenly becomes the most reliable way to sell information to the public by the mass media.

Stars have been made via optimal utilization of the opportunities presented by social media. Talents easily get attention by audience as videos, images and write-ups containing the artiste messages are easily assessed by users.
Lot of people have made several millions of naira, dollars, pounds, yen, cedi, rupees and any currency as the case may be after locating the right audience and assiduously working on their niches. Ads on blogs and other sites are busy enriching the pockets of many youths.

You will also agree with me that as lives are being transformed for the best via social media, lives of some are getting destroyed on the other hand.  An Igbo man that is serious with his business will tell you that time na money. Yet youths of these days are busy wasting their precious and limited time in unproductive activities on several social platforms.

Social media that is suppose to be a means to enlighten now become curse to so many Nigerian youths. A man said, whoever fails to make plan of his own will get fitted into other people's plans. Facebook, instagram, twitter, 2go, and others are the plans of some people to enrich themselves. Your idea of not making the best out of it and rather get obsessed with it without etching your mark on it makes you fit perfectly into their plans in the negative way.

Our youths are always of the idea of using their last dime to purchase data only to view unedifying videos and images. Oh! lest I forget, they also post images and videos of their stupidity on social platforms claiming they are snap chatting. They will be bringing out tongues like snakes and post those ridiculous images and videos on social platforms. Some will even go as far as posting their nudes after being badly influenced by a model on social platforms. Family names and dignities are pocketed without thinking twice by our youths.

Pornography is one thing that gets people attention easily. Siocial media does the danger of exposing our youths to unedifying videos and images. Young guys who are shy engage themselves in masturbation and ladies who are gullible become call-girls for some guys who flaunt fake material wealths via social platforms. Our teenagers no longer face their books they rather Facebook. Our culture is drastically retrograding as our children decide to say whatsapp to elderly ones instead of prostrating and kneeling down, which depicts high degree of respect and reverence in this part of the world.

Relationships are heading for the rocks only to crash as obsession with activities on social platforms make relationships to be seen as normal things. Spouses now believe that there are million of guys and ladies willing to have their hands in the same glove and tie the knots. A girl is added up on facebook, chatted up on whatsapp, shown the wealths the guy has on instagram and get engaged on BBM. After few weeks, they announce their wedding via twitter and friends and family will gather to celebrate. After some months into the marriage, problem will surfacing here and there. Divorce is now the best option. Patience becomes helpless. Is this how it use to be?

Every two-two market day, my mother would meet my father under the mahogany tree that is close to the village square. This activity continued for nothing less than three to four years before their engagement was announced. During this time of courtship, every necessary thing that is needed to be known by the prospective spouses would not have escaped the light of the broad day. Relationships were strong. Trust, which is the bedrock of a relationship was easily built. Divorce was an alien word.

What do we have today as result of abuse of social media on relationship, divorce become a plague that bedevil relationships and it is rather seen as a routine and part of any relationship.

Curses following divorced husband and wives as contained in Holy Books are not even given attention to. Values are diminishing and culture is gradually fading off into the thin air.


Cyber fraud is another bane of social media on youths. This with time may be seen as a legal business only if Buhari is dead. National reputation is soiled without conscience. Guys, you can continue as long as you like but beware of SARS!

This is a call to all Nigerian youths who appreciate the emergence of social media to be cautious of their activities on the platforms. You can get rich or poor by using them. You're bound to get better of worse depending on your activities on them. I advise, don't be classically conditioned to value degrading activities that are bound to flood these platforms. They are all created for the best use of yours only if  you can see that. I will have to resign my pen for now.

I am Sijuade Olushola Samson (SOS).
Call: +2348174485175

Mail: sholasijuade@gmail.com