Twitter, YouTube, WhatsApp, Facebook, TikTok, or whatever digital/technology platform, there you would find young people expressing their opinions on pressing issues affecting their lives and their world.
In a society where the combined media of radio, television, and newspaper platforms used to be the only source to receive and convey information and opinions, technology has democratized how information is disseminated and relayed at real-time speed thereby doing away with the traditional gatekeeping measures.
Perhaps, further justifying the argument on the sweeping political upheavals brewing across the African continent.
Technology has become revolutionary, more so through various digital platforms, offering the African Youths a channel by which they not only express their opinions about how they hope to be governed but also steer the hand of governments to initiate policies and political reforms that affect the people directly beyond the perfunctory policies that have no immediate impact to their wellbeing.
With the proliferation of smartphones and the advent of social media, there is a growing political consciousness among young people. These platforms have become rallying points for political discourse.
Government policies are not only x-rayed, but also analyzed, and debated upon. Active conversations around such policies take center stage through various hashtags, providing insight into the workability of such policies.
Opinions are relayed, dissent is expressed, and ideas for reworking or abandoning such policies to conform with current realities are also conveyed which is crucial in helping governing authorities better serve the people.
We see such examples of the use of digital platforms to drive policy discourse through events such as the 2020 #EndSars protest in Nigeria. The event which became a rallying call against police brutality took the nation by storm.
Viral videos, live updates, and previous encounters with the notorious Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), the police unit known for many human rights violations and extra-judicial killings were relived and shared across all platforms.
Calling for the disbandment of this Unit, many Nigerian youths were able to coordinate nationwide protests and convey their demand for police reform to the government through the use of these social media platforms.
Other examples abound with the recent #OccupyParliament” and #RejectFinanceBill2024 protests that have rocked Kenya and threatened the political survival of President Ruto.
A courageous generation of Kenyan Gen Z youths (as they are popularly liked to be referred to) organized themselves in their numbers to demonstrate and express outrage over the controversial finance bill which they believe places an added burden of taxation on an already overtaxed citizenry.
What started as an outrage on TikTok and other social media platforms, grew to become an open revolt against a seemingly insensitive government who they believed was inconsiderate of the economic burdens the citizens were already grappling with.
Facing threats of clampdowns and police high-handedness, the Kenyan youths were able to force a reversal of the controversial bill and initiation of other cost-cutting policies that were implemented in hopes of assuaging an already agitated citizenry.
Beyond protests, digital platforms have become an instrument African youths leverage to offer suggestions that help shape policy formulation and implementation.
As technology continues to evolve, there is an equally growing consciousness of the impact of good or bad governance policies on the economy and the lives of citizens among the young generation. This in turn has created a generation of Africans eager to uphold the office of the citizen through participatory governance.
Using their smartphones, grit, creativity, and skills, they are ready to write their futures and build a just and equitable society.
Okechukwu Nzeribe works with the Onitsha Chamber of Commerce, in Anambra State, Nigeria, loves unveiling the richness of African cultures. okechukwu.oniccima@gmail.com
