The organisation of one of the most successful protests in Nigeria’s history, #EndSARS, has hit blood arteries and the pain is causing affected so-called Nigerians – holding leadership positions – to react rather violently. It is no news that the protests started on social media and was taken to the streets and, in an attempt to stop that from happening again, the real ‘hoodlums’ are fighting back.

#EndSARS started as a protest against police brutality but later served as a parameter to a failed system. It is that perfectly deteriorated system which the older generation feed off that Nigerian youth want changed that has caused reprisal reactions from the actors of the monstrous drama.

Information and Culture Minister, Lai Mohammed said Friday – again – that the federal government’s position on the future of social media in Nigeria is regulation rather than shutting it down.

Mohammed made the clarification during a solidarity visit to Vintage Press Limited, the publishers of The Nation newspapers and Sporting Life, following the October 21, 2020, attack on the organisation’s corporate headquarters by an organised mob; possibly sponsored.

He said, “I know some observers may wonder how the minister can describe the attack on The Nation as an attack on free press and on democracy, whereas a few days ago, he canvassed for the regulation of social media.

“I say to such observers that there is no contradiction in what I said before and what I am saying now. This government has respect for the free press. What we are against is the irresponsible use of social media and fake news.

“We did not start this campaign against fake news yesterday. In 2017, we devoted an entire National Council on Information meeting to address the issues of fake news and hate speech.

“I remember I said that day that there is a new epidemic coming to consume the world. That epidemic is fake news. That epidemic will pose great danger to global peace and security.

“However, we must regulate social media in a manner that it does not become a purveyor of fake news and hate speech.

“Today, the pattern of choice for purveyors of fake news and hate speech is social media. It travels so fast; it disseminates so fast.“

Indeed, Mohammed did not start this campaign against social media today. And, hiding behind the curtain of ‘social media spreads fake news fast‘ is a narrative we have seen in other instances – like when the military tells you they are doing an ‘Operation’ and innocent Nigerians begin to fall. #LekkiMassacre is the best example. The warning from the announcement of Operation Crocodile Smile was one we all did not observe.

This campaign against social media is one he has intensified because he understands the power the platforms yield to demand change and accountability. We could also over flog the fact that social media can act as the fastest medium to educate Nigerians on governance and accountability – ultimately sending old mis-innovative politicians home.

Lai Mohammed, who has a medieval era mindset might never understand how social media provided a platform for people to voice out their concerns, ultimately taking same to the ears of the concerned authorities.

He will never understand why people will want change when his mindset is so tainted that democracy is now a missing word in his dictionary.

Social media is our last voice, the one that helps us reach the world. If the government succeedingly take that voice away, we will add unfree speech to our list of problems and that is when Nigerians will begin to reconsider the option of a military coup – that is if that is not already in people’s minds; considering democracy is just another word we throw around in Nigeria.