FAMILY CIRCLE: LIKE ANIMAL FARM

There is no price too steep to pay for a country ruled by a righteous man, argues Joshua J. Omojuwa

There were media reports suggesting some young people were picked up in Lagos and ferried to Osun State. It was reported as a ‘deportation’, even though it is technically impossible to deport a Nigerian from Nigeria to Nigeria. The media reports led to the governors of Lagos and Osun States deliberating on the matter, with Governor Sanwo-Olu making a commitment to Governor Adeleke that he’d investigate it. That suggests that the Lagos State governor was not aware of the incident.

 I caught this unfortunate news on Twitter, via one of the major sources of unwholesome and tragic news. As it should be, the report “deeply saddened and shocked” my source. There is a note of joy in this issue. About 13 years ago, the man that was shocked and saddened by this yet to be proven report, whilst governor of Anambra State, had citizens of Nigeria packed from Anambra to states like Akwa Ibom and Ebonyi. It was an effort that, according to a Premium Times report, was supervised by the state’s commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development. That the Governor, under whose administration such a shocking and saddening action took place, finds himself shocked by even a sniff of a similar news today is a sign of progress.

 Whilst it does fit my theory that people see better when out of government, it does not change the fact that progress has been made. Some will see it as a conventional politician trying to score some points, but I doubt that because no one, knowing that their action could be seen as hypocritical, would go ahead to act “shocked and saddened” about something they once reportedly did, without any published repentance. It really must be that lessons have since been learnt.

 If humans died of hypocrisy, our civilization would probably be extinct. The fundamental difference on this subject is that there are hypocrites who are aware of their hypocrisy — like when I hardly criticize my friends in public for things I may publicly criticize others for — and then there is the morally upright group who aren’t aware of their hypocrisy.

 Take Twitter — I have decided to stick to Twitter, instead of X for this piece — people generally condemn bullying and harassment. They hate to see others bullying and harassing fellow Twitter users. They sometimes forget about that stand though, especially when they are the ones who get to pick the target of bullying for the day.

 Likewise, People hate fake news with a passion, although, they don’t mind amplifying news that suits their biases and agenda. Because even when they recognize such news to be fake, they can always take solace in the fact that they have helped to advance a great cause, with disinformation a small price to pay.

 One of Twitter’s better tools, Community Notes, suffered in the hands of some Nigerians on account of this unique ability of people to twist and bend like Olympic gymnasts. Community Notes was designed by Twitter to curb fake news and other forms of disinformation. Nigerian Management Consultant, Dr Dipo Awojide, was on the rough end of a mob desperate to deploy Community Notes for political vendetta. He had been named by a news platform as their ’Man of the Week’. You’d think this was the sort of information that’d pass without drama. Not when people have hate to advance.

 A group of people that have been seen hounding Dr Awojide on account of his opinions saw an opportunity that Community Notes never appeared to offer, until they bent it into their whim. They wrote a note under the tweet that suggested that Dr Awojide was an ethnic jingoist and bigot. Three things were wrong here. The first is that the note had no correlation with the information it was meant to be correcting. The second thing was that the sources that were added to support the note had nothing to do with the note. Finally, trolls and anonymous account known for posting fake news were added to the note as sources.

 Thankfully, sensible Nigerians, including those who declared they weren’t fans of Dr Awojide stepped up in condemning the desperate act. To this group, it was important not to abuse the essence of Community Notes that was designed to curb the exact abuse it was being used for. The platform eventually removed the disgraceful sources, it then followed up by removing the note altogether. Order and propriety prevailed.

 I am not a believer in Nigerian exceptionalism, but those who stand on that ground would certainly have enjoyed seeing Community Notes dancing to the power of the mob. A tool that was designed to uphold objectivity was for a few hours held in the prison of a mob known for permanently being in tears against those who refuse to bend or bow.

 It is easy to see why revolutionaries often end up as the monsters they replaced. One man posted a tweet hoping that there’d be a three-month protest that’d help to force change. Another man followed with a response that you’d have to believe was sent with the best and holiest of intentions. That, “if you don’t come out of your house and join the protest, your house will be razed down with fire. This is the only way out”. Much like that video where a man was seen to be voting differently from a crowd that had voted about 98 percent in one direction. The man who was brave enough to vote differently was beaten to stupor.

When the video was posted to Twitter, those who had spent months swearing their commitment to a new Nigeria that is possible hailed and praised the thugs. Because, like the animals in that Orwellian world, there was no price too steep to pay for a country ruled by a righteous man.

 Even though one may look from outside in and see, “from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again” it is hard to tell who the monster really is.

Omojuwa is chief strategist Alpha Reach/BGX Publishing