Blogging to Foster Citizen Media
June 12th, 2007 | Published in Africa, Blogosphere, ICT, Media, Nigeria, Web 2.0 | 6 Comments
In May, I mused if the Nigerian blogosphere was dying. This piece is a continuation of that conversation, and has some readers and those who commented to that post may have discerned, the Nigerian blogosphere isn’t dying, and doesn’t appear so any time soon.
This conclusion is based on several recent developments in the Nigerian cyber/blogging scene - Sokari, one of the bloggers that initiated the May post is back on scene. In additon, there are some newer initiatives on ground - Alt Nigeria (a blog devoted to doing business in Nigeria), AfricanLoft (a discussion and social networking platform that emerged from the stables of EthnicLoft and Grandiose Parlor), and the Blogville Idol initiative being championed by Ugo, T-Minx, and other bloggers - like Opeke and Pink Satin.
Even though the Nigerian blogosphere has continued to expand over the years, it still remains fragmented - with very limited interactions between the several bloggers that man the several blocs of the entity. But isn’t it somewhat naive to expect bloggers within different niches to interact? Maybe. What I have come to appreciate is that some form of interaction is necessary - for several reasons. Interaction creates an excellent opportunity to learn, collaborate and socialize. Yes, this is a tall expectation - bloggers have a tendency to keep close knits and have a knack for being proud - if not pompous - and this is not peculiar just to the Nigerian blogosphere; it’s a global phenomenon.
Although blogging is global, it’s still very nascent in Nigeria (and Africa in general), therefore it is pertinent, if not mandatory, that bloggers congeal and collaborate if for no other reason than fostering relationships that promote citizen media. Citizen media is the future of information and news management in Nigera/Africa (see Tayo Odukoya’s post on Nigeria’s FRSC below). The emergence of blog aggregators is based on this premise; it also drive ideas such as the proposed Jeremy’s Naija Blogger Meet-up (Lagos) and the reverse publication project being championed by Laspapi.
The success of AfricanLoft - the newer entrant in the African social networking scene - and the aforementioned will be determined in no small measures by how much these interactions can be fostered between the Nigerian bloggers (and non-bloggers) and those whose commonality comes from Africa - be they home or Diaspora-based indigenes, descendants, or passionate Afrophiles.
PS: Imagine these scenarios…
- What would have happened if there were not bloggers at the recently concluded TEDGlobal 2007 conference in Arusha, Tanzania?
- What would happen if there are just five (5) active bloggers in every Nigerian/African universities, reporting on issues in their various colleges?
- Nigerians capturing social issues with their camera phones and having a portal to share this information?
- Africans in the Diaspora “talking” about their struggles and achievements via a web portal?
…Think of AfricanLoft.
Related articles:
http://grandioseparlor.com/2007/06/nigeria-frsc-practice-what-you-preach-citizen-media-at-its-best/
http://grandioseparlor.com/2007/05/is-the-nigerian-blogosphere-dying-part-1/
Care for some vintage highlife music? - Enjoy Zeal Onyia:
June 12th, 2007 at 3:29 am (#)
OMG!! you take me back to Saturday morinings in my home growing up
waking up to the smell of my Dad’s coffee and morining cleaing duties… wow!
those where the days.. Thanks,even did abit of dancing…. (I think he is even singing about my Village…Illah in Delta ;))
June 12th, 2007 at 4:31 am (#)
I left a comment before, buts not shown.
…anyway just wanted to say you took me back to my childhood days, waking up to highlfe music on a saturday morining…( I think the singer mentioned my villiage ILLAH in the song too) Thank you!I did abit of a dance too…, getting my Delta groove on…:)
June 12th, 2007 at 5:43 am (#)
Nice piece there, GrandioseP. I’ve been thinking its high time we have some kinda bond, so we can take solid stand on issues and present, as well disseminate issues as they come. With one voice, we can make this happen and actually make the world listen.
Kudos, for the Africanloft project. It’s highly commendable and apt.
June 12th, 2007 at 8:33 am (#)
My thoughts exactly, this morning I was like the problem was the fragmentation. If Every country in Nigertia could produce one worthwhile blog. I would call that success.
June 12th, 2007 at 8:35 am (#)
Africanloft needs a banner. Or a botton.
June 12th, 2007 at 3:49 pm (#)
Refineone: Sorry my spam-catcher was being rude…I’m glad the music means something to someone. I remember hearing the song while in Umuahia/Ubakala (Abia State) around ‘96-97.