The following describes a day in the life of some opposition bloggers and how they respond to news.
“Nigerian troops kill Boko Haram fighters”
- You frown. It can’t be true. They must be Cameroonian or Chadian troops. You zoom your screen and scrutinize their uniforms and tags…go check more weblinks. Off to EgbereTV for counter information…none found. You are sad. You find an old one on a bomb and you quickly share it. Nonsense! How can the army be winning? Mschew!
“NNPC Warri and Kaduna refineries closed. Escravos crude oil and gas pipelines blown by militants”.
- Yes!!! Good news! Serves them right. I told you they could not govern successfully. They can’t even guard our pipelines! Just before you share the story, NEPA takes light and darkness distracts you. You go and pour your last four litres of petrol and start your gen to continue your gleeful sharing of the news. It did not occur to you that the gas turbine in the power plant serving you had to be shut down due to that pipeline sabotage…that was why your power was cut.
“New York Times says Buhari government monetary policy is un-effective and will damage the economy”.
- More smiles. Quickly share the news story. Tweet it and go round all your friend’s pages making comments about how clueless the president is. Yet you do not bother to read the news report to understand the specific parts of the policy they have an issue with and use your advantage of local knowledge to judge to see if they are right or if their conclusion is one borne of our interest or of that of the foreign bodies they are affiliated to, etc.
“Iran warns Buhari about his treatment of Shia Muslims”.
- See them. Iran is warning them now. If they like they should not behave themselves. When we told them the COAS should have turned back and come to pass another day, they did not listen. In fact I pray that Iran attacks us so they learn a lesson. Share the news one time. It does not matter to you that a warning from Iran on our internal matter, purely motivated by their affiliation to a religious movement, is an insult to our (collective) national psyche and sovereignty.
Aaah…you are tired. You plug your phone to charge. That was enough good news for one day. You got to post four big ones. You were right after all. This government is not working. Your gen runs out of petrol and stutters to silence. More darkness. Heat. Sweat starts. You swat a mosquito. You still manage to sleep…because you are happy. This country is not working under Buhari. You shall wake up to more tales of woe from EgbereTV, TrentOnline, Scannews, TheHerald_dotcom and the walls of your favourite Facebook grand cyclops and instigators…this thought comforts you as you snooze off.
SAN
Square Pegs and Round Holes 
January 25, 2016 at 11:47 am
Yeah…spot on..perhaps we are so divided and keep thinking we are in opposition….in Nigeria we either play opposition politics or we play “belonging” politics. Its also in the same way that Adesina called a section of Nigerians wailers and further divided people and opinion..its no longer about national survival, but about egos and personalities. You see when a media team plays opposition politics and takes it into governance, then it further polarises the people…All that we hear from the gladiators mostly shape our views…then when you add egos and sentiments, people take views for the sake of the views and not necessariliy for progress sake……..So Jonathan made gains against BH that made election possible….many will never acknowledge this, prefaring keep silent……People read in between the lines always…so they bombed in Jos, and people said GEJ never visited..so what has changed nkw in your view?…does it mean PMB is insensitive?…….
So Lassa fever was caused by Jonathan and we all revell and have a good laugh, when we know its not just logical a thought….but in saying this, people feel bruised. Again i wish to say that the govt in power elevated this oppositioning to highrest levels and taught us the behaviour…..we no longer want to hear good news, but prefare bad news to strenghten our positions……..
so, when a govt prefares to apportion to itself glories and fail to accept blames chosing to deflect same to another, leads to emotional efeversence. But what is actually happening is the deep divisions sequel to the elections poorly managed by the govt in power..When you listen to Fashola and Ngige talk, you see future…you see progress, you see balance becos they are willing to praise, blame and move on…
The President needs to Rally the troops. This takes charisma, vison and passion. It means taking blames and accepting to fix issues, it means big speeches that encapsulates feelings and emotions while re-directing energy and sentiments to positivity………we are all still in an immediate post election mood or mode and only an approach that seeks to unite will soothe the pains, but when we all glory in anothers fall and wish thoes same peoples to glory in our progress is puting the cart before the horse…We are divided and its for the politicians benefit, not the countrys”……….The handlers of the strategic communication bit of this present govt are largely divisive, hateful, hurtful and haughty…They seem hell bent on creating a perpetual state of disunity, un-love and even hatred……….This isnt the way to manage communication SMH
LikeLike
January 25, 2016 at 11:53 am
Bro, very sobering indeed. You captured it well. You did. From your points on how we played opposition politics, to the president’s “scant attempts” at uniting us politically to his divisive handlers and spokespersons. Personally, I will play my role and be a difference.
LikeLike
January 30, 2016 at 10:02 am
Gbam!!!! Enough said.
LikeLiked by 1 person