Of Teni’s national award, our political youth, and social media narratives

When my very close friend asked me if I had seen Teni’s video online, I simply replied NO. I’m not used to following every trend and hot takes online.

“What about it?” I asked.

“A lot of people are saying she was disrespectful of the president while receiving a national award,” he replied. Curious, I opened my Twitter to scout for the video. I watched it over and over again to detect any scrap of disrespect in the video, but I found none.

What I saw is a woman who confidently walked up to the president, smiled while receiving her award, and went back to where she was.

ALSO READ: Buhari confers national awards on 447 recipients

Was Teni supposed to kneel down while receiving the award? Or was she expected to hug the president or, as an entertainer, sing praises to him? After all, the President did not stretch forth his hand to her for a handshake.

A number of people have also expressed sentiment about how her behaviour was evocative of the #EndSARS protest in 2020 and suggestive of how the President has failed his youth. And they warmly commended her for that.

It then occurred to me that social media has become powerful in creating some narratives; a depiction of what is bogus as credible, and a sentimentalization of events and situations.

This peddling of falsehoods and petty sentiments by netizens can affect how some gullible individuals think and process information and facts. Even when it is glaring that a piece of information is untrue, it is now customary for some people to jump on the bandwagon and trend a social or political issue.

ALSO READ: Will Peter Obi’s popularity win him the 2023 Presidential Election?

This bandwagon effect has an impact on our collective political ecosystem. Our political youth, especially during this electioneering period, must build their critical thinking skills and information literacy, sieving what is true from what is false.

This has become imperative as the choices we make next year February will affect our social, political, and economic lives for the next four years—perhaps eight years.

Our political youth must discard sentiments, and do away with prejudices, ethnic, tribal and religious bigotries.

I believe, and every right-thinking human would agree with me, that political candidates are voted on the grounds of competence, past political experiences, meritorious service, and their selfless drive to contribute to the growth and development of the country.

Come 2023, our political youth should not be swayed by emotions, the bandwagon effect or some false social media narratives in choosing a political candidate that will pilot the affairs of this country for the next four years.