INTRODUCTION :THE SQUARE HAS MOVED
For centuries, the town hall has been literal .A market square,a community hall, a tree under which elders gathered to argue,decide and hold leaders accountable and also make some certain decisions regarding pressing or current issues surrounding the community.
But today that square fits in our pockets and hands ,it has no roof ,no chair and it never closes .
This square comprises of the Instagram,twitter, TikTok, Whatsapp,and Facebook. The currency is not longer voices ,it is now likes,comments,shares,and repost .
CAN A TAP ON A SCREEN BECOME REAL ACTION? IN NIGERIA AND ACROSS THE WORLD?
The answer is yes because of the following
THE LIKE: From silence to signal, this is the smallest political act that costs nothing risks nothing,But at scale it becomes data .
THE COMMENT SECTION: New Community Beach, Town halls worked because then people could self organize, volunteering on bringing things like chairs, Tables,Waters e.t.c.
But now social media recreate that in the comment section for example under a viral post you will find people offering what they can afford "A graphic designer offering to make flyers, lawyers offering to give free advice and journalist asking for interviews and many more others volunteering to be there", no one appointed them that did that by themselves in the comment section.
FROM TIMELINE TO STREET: The action gap, likes alone don't fix bridges, that is when most movement fail they stay online . The difference between noise and impact is the move From timeline to street. When about 70 people show up at 7Am with signs and phones, a counselor has to come out when 10000 people email an office with same petition link a file has to be opened. Social Media is the town hall's notice board . The physical world is still where decisions are pressured . The most effective campaigns now do both viral post,real Meetups and documentation.
THE RISKS: when town hall has no more rules; A real town hall has elders , norms, and consequences. The online version often has none of these .
MISINFORMATION:One fake photo can derail 20 stories
HARASSMENT :The anonymity that protects activist can also be weponozied
LEGAL EXPOSURE: Nigeria's cyber crimes act and public order laws means Posts have real world consequences e.g" freedoms of speech, But no freedom after speech".
To be a credible town hall online spaces must self regulate,fact check before posting ,protect identities and stay within the law . otherwise the square gets shutdown.
Adhere to purpose , not just trend . social media has become the new town hall not because it is perfect but because it is accessible.Anyone with a phone can call a meeting .
But a town hall without action is just a crowd .
THE SHIFT FROM LIKES TO ACTIONS REQUIRES THESE :
PROOF OVER OPINION: show, don't just tell .
ROLES OVER REACTION: Assign task's in the comments .
PRESENCE OVER POSTS: Show up physically and safely .
PERSISTENCE OVER VIRALITY :Track promises after the trend dies .
TRUTH OVER SPEED : One lie can kill a movement .
The square under the iroko tree is still important.But now there's a second square in your feed . What you do with it determines whether it remains a place to scroll or become a place to build .
A LIKE IS A KNOCK ON THE DOOR ,
ACTION IS WALKING THROUGH IT .
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