Arit Okpo: Hashtag Citizenship [NEW VOICES]

by Arit Okpo

Africa is a continent of very interesting contrasts – immense natural resources but low development, great wealth but also great poverty, youthful citizens ruled by elderly leaders; the last is especially interesting.

We are a young continent – 41% of the African population is under 15, and in many countries, more than half of the population is under 40. According to the Euromonitor, Sub Saharan Africa has 70% of its population under 30. This by simple logic, should mean that the bulk of our leadership should be young. How so very ironic then, that the opposite is the case. Most of our Presidents are in their 60s and older and young people in government are usually given token posts – youth affairs, new media etc, posts that do nothing for our scope, potential and ability to lead.

With all this in mind, I am seriously enjoying watching African youth take charge of governance in citizenship in the way most accessible to us – social media. Hashtag activism may be a condescending cliché, but it is also often the only way for young people to discuss, critique and influence policy.

Take for instance the #FeesMustFall protests in South Africa., a rallying cry for free education in South Africa and a revision of educational policies that further disadvantage the already struggling black minorities. The hashtag was unapologetic, almost militant; we all took notice.

In Malawi, the unexplained and unexplainable absence of President Peter Mutharika led to the humorous but nonetheless insistent #BringBackMutharika hashtag. Malawians wanted to know whether their President was sick and why no one had a clue as to where he was. The international attention that this created forced state officials to respond and eventually, saw the President return, waving vigorously (with his left hand) and asserting just as vigorously that he was as healthy as a 30 year old.

The US elections have provided lots of entertainment, thought pieces and comparisons on the African continent. We want our Presidents to debate, we want our leaders as charismatic as Obama, we want to feel like we actually have a choice as to who wins. Satire was definitely the way to go when some African people on social media decided to report the elections in the same way African elections are reported. #Nov8AfricanEdition made me laugh out loud as African countries sent election observers, condemned electoral violence and enjoined losers to accept failure with grace. It was an enjoyably subtle dig at our election wahala and of course, the Western tendency to treat Africa like an exotic and dangerous space.

In Nigeria, complaints about the excesses of the Nigerian senate find a home at twitter account @nass. Problem is, the account does not belong to the Nigerian senate but to a very patient man called Nasser Al-Saadi minding his business in his home country of Qatar. Rants, tirades and insults are responded to with grace, and I dare say Nasser has learned more about Nigeria and Nigerians than he ever intended. The other option for getting the National Assembly’s attention is #OpenNass. The hashtag has trended many, many times on Twitter and has elicited promises and assurances from the powers that be at the Senate. Unfortunately though, these assurances end on social media, and the Nigerian Senate continues to be as opaque and expensive as it has ever been.

Being a young person in Africa can be frustrating; there is so much you know you can do but no opportunity to do it. You’re old enough to be campaigned to, but not old enough to make decisions about your country’s future. Openings in government are limited and business ideas are frustrated by antiquated ideas. Older people tell you that you are too young to have any sense of leadership and then go on to create policies that have no place in an increasingly globalised future.

Africa is a continent of interesting contrasts, but as long as there are hashtags, the young people of Africa will continue to try their best to bridge the gap.


Arit is a highly versatile Content Producer, Presenter, Writer and Speaker. She currently produces and presents The Crunch, the flagship news show for the Ebonylife TV platform, where she discusses and analyses current affairs issues and stories. Arit has also presented travel show Destinations Africa; politics show Naija Politics and cooking show Chefrican, also on the Ebonylife TV platform. She is passionate about telling the African story from a positive and powerful perspective.

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