Social Media World Pleads For Missing Nigerian Schoolgirls
Nigeria Abductions: #BringBackOurGirls
There are currently over 200 schoolgirls missing in Nigeria, and in an attempt for their rescue, users on social media have been raising awareness. They are thought to have been abducted by militants in northern Nigeria, and so far the #BringBackOurGirls campaign has generated more than 360,000 tweets and retweets thus far, while even David Cameron has now joined the campaign.
Source: cba.com
High-profile public figures have also jumped on the
bandwagon, with US singer Mary J Blige and the UK’s Jessie J tweeting about the
story, thus generating a huge number of retweets from other users. By doing this, it demonstrates how social
media can be utilised by celebrities who invest in supporting good causes as
they also generate more traffic on their accounts.
As well as Twitter having a massive impact on this story, Facebook users have also been getting in on the act. A Facebook page entitled Bring Back our Girls was set up on the 26th of April, and already has 6,000 ‘Likes’.
Nigerian Twitter users who are closer to the issue have expressed dismay at the government’s part in the tragedy. It is thought that they have not done enough to rescue the girls, who have reportedly been taken to Sambisa forest. This is the location where the Islamist group, Boko Haram have many camps. If this is the case, and these facts are common knowledge, then surely the government should have acted quickly to ensure the safety of these young girls.
As well as Twitter having a massive impact on this story, Facebook users have also been getting in on the act. A Facebook page entitled Bring Back our Girls was set up on the 26th of April, and already has 6,000 ‘Likes’.
Nigerian Twitter users who are closer to the issue have expressed dismay at the government’s part in the tragedy. It is thought that they have not done enough to rescue the girls, who have reportedly been taken to Sambisa forest. This is the location where the Islamist group, Boko Haram have many camps. If this is the case, and these facts are common knowledge, then surely the government should have acted quickly to ensure the safety of these young girls.
A few months ago, the Sambisa forest was not a household
name for many Nigerians, but in the wake of the kidnappings, plus the social
media noise around it, the forest has taken on a new symbolic image of
terror. The location is almost mythical
for many people within the Lake Chad basin who have come to align the complex
north-eastern vegetation with Boko Haram.
The families of the girls have now had some input, and have
reportedly threatened to go into the forest themselves to try and locate their
daughters. This is a massive moment for
the government because unless they act with more conviction, the parents may
decide to go into the forest, and the likelihood of fatalities will
dramatically increase.
Whether the influence of social media will help in certain situations such as this remains to be seen. Despite the best intentions of high-profile pop stars, it defers attention away from the human aspect of this tragedy. The online community becomes a way of promoting the self as opposed to raising general awareness; it is social mediaintegrating reverse psychology.
On the other side of the coin, it is raising awareness around the world, and this could spark a seemingly static government into action. It will be fascinating to see whether this will grow on social media, and if it does then the pressure will build on the African Country to try and retrieve these girls safely.
Whether the influence of social media will help in certain situations such as this remains to be seen. Despite the best intentions of high-profile pop stars, it defers attention away from the human aspect of this tragedy. The online community becomes a way of promoting the self as opposed to raising general awareness; it is social mediaintegrating reverse psychology.
On the other side of the coin, it is raising awareness around the world, and this could spark a seemingly static government into action. It will be fascinating to see whether this will grow on social media, and if it does then the pressure will build on the African Country to try and retrieve these girls safely.
Alex is an English Literature and Sociology undergraduate whose love for written word has led him to write about some obscure topics in his time. Currently a content writer at Social Media Frontiers, be sure to follow him @AlexSatSMF.
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Social Media World Pleads For Missing Nigerian Schoolgirls
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Monday, May 12, 2014
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Monday, May 12, 2014
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