Digivation 2024: Regulate social media or it will Regulate us- Dr Bayero Agabi

The convener, Digivation Future Summit, Dr Bayero Agabi, has called for the regulation of social media in Nigeria, stating the high possibility of social media regulating the lives of the citizens, should there be no moderation.

He stressed this in his welcome address at the Digivation Future Summit 2024, themed: “Governance, Innovation, People and Future Economy” which was held in Lagos on Thursday.

In his statement, Dr Agabi drew attention to what he called ‘social media influence on Africa and whether it should be moderated or regulated.’ He explained that we have all seen the impacts and effects of social media becoming a platform for Africans to demystify her dark continent narrative, empowering thousands through its economics, creating jobs for many and opening many to the world.

Despite its huge advantages, Dr Agabi pinpointed the hazards in closing our eyes to the ills of social media which has proven to be the best time-wasting platform, creating anti-social generation and negatively influencing Africa’s culture.

On this, he said, ‘I will state that its time for Nigeria to moderate her social media space. If this is not done, give it a short time and the social media space will regulate our lives. From our food, values, culture and governance, social media will regulate us if we don’t manage it now.’ he warned.

Dr Agabi explained that the event also features Africa’s premier and most iconic Enterprise and digital award AFRICA DIGITAL and ENTERPRISE AWARD, which is for deserving individuals, organizations and initiatives driving Africa’s development both in the public and private sectors.

‘DigiVation Global Network, the parent organization, has organized events across Africa, the Middle East and also partnered major events in Europe and America. DIGIVATION also organizes Nigerian Women Digital Conference which is a program for women and girls.’ he disclosed.

However, the Executive Secretary/CEO, National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO), Otunba Abiodun Ajiboye called Nigerians to preserve the Nation’s cultural identity while leveraging digital technology, during the presentation of his keynote speech at the event.

Otunba Biodun’s speech titled: “Preserving Cultural Identity in the Digital Age: Navigating Globalization and Technology in Nigeria” expressed that the transformation of our value systems and languages in Nigeria has been significantly influenced by globalization, a process that began with British colonialism.

He stated, ‘Our legal system, for instance, is a reflection of this colonial legacy. The laws we abide by are rooted in British norms, not reflective of our indigenous cultures. We must ask ourselves: How did countries like China, India and even Japan, who were also colonized or conquered, manage to lead the technological revolution without losing their cultural identities?’ he said.

To counter this, the NICO boss highlighted that Nigerians must consciously revive their original cultural values, ensuring that they define their institutions and guide the future of content creation in Nigeria. Also, that Digital technology should be harnessed to enhance cultural development and preservation, promoting innovation that aligns with the country’s traditions and practices.

Otunba reiterated NICO’s mission in exploring the connections between culture and technology. ‘We are committed to developing technological content within the context of our diverse cultures, paving the way for socio-economic growth across sectors.’ he said.

He further noted that Embracing globalization and digital technology does not mean abandoning the Nigerian cultural values. ‘On the contrary, it means reworking our engagement with globalization and using technology to advance our cultural heritage,’ he added.

While speaking to press men, Veteran Actor and Panelist at the summit, Mr Yemi Solade, submitted that the invasion of technology has made everyone a part of the media. He cited how social media can earn a person a job, Fame and skills overnight through content creations and the likes. Even in the movie industry, Mr Yemi examined how the days of manual marketing became eroded and movies are now being marketed personally through the aid of social media.

He expressed, ‘The future economy is here and only driven by the youths. The old generation has to open up to learn from the GenZs. Nigerians are no longer waiting for the government. We started Nollywood in 1918 without Government assistance and today it’s part of the highest employer of labor in the country. The youths of Nigeria should be applauded, though some are just mentally lazy.

He continued, ‘My fear is the erosion of culture as being engineered by the GenZs, most of them lack respect for elders, for constituted authorities, for royalties and even for clergies.’ Mr Solade stated. He blamed the attitude decadence of Youths on the family unit, especially for parents who do not have tangible time for parenting their wards.

Notwithstanding, Mr Solade appraised and encouraged youths who have used Social Media to become better persons and urged others who are not getting it right to learn from those who are getting it right.

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