A voice for the Diaspora
In January of 2020, it was estimated that there are 3.8 billion social media users around the globe. Social media enables us to connect with people of all backgrounds and cultures from virtually anywhere from the comfort of our couches. The continent of Africa is no stranger to the usage of social media. It is also estimated that four African countries are in the top 15 of the highest daily time spent using social media.
Social media has been used and is still an effective platform to spring up a discourse on social issues within the continent of Africa. As an example, the Arab Spring, a series of protests aimed at oppressive governments in the Arab World, started in Tunisia and slowly spread through social media to the rest of North Africa and the rest of the Middle East. Not only has social media empower the people of Africa, but it has also given a voice to the Diaspora as well. People outside of Africa often have little to no political or social power in the continent but social media is changing that. In 2014, pressure was mounted on the Nigerian government to take drastic measures to rescue 276 schoolgirls kidnapped by Boko Haram, a terrorist group, in a campaign known as the ‘#BringBackOurGirls’ movement. The campaign was largely fueled by the Diaspora through social media with the then First Lady at the time, Michelle Obama, and other prominent leaders took part. Social media has created an environment where all citizens of Africa have a voice to collectively make a difference thanks to technology.
