by Akorede Shakir

 

No one knew it would end up winning an international accolade…

One of the greatest online clampdowns on the Nigerian Senate was incurred in November 2015 when the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, announced that the federal lawmakers – including their aides – would be ‘schooled’ on how to use Facebook. On those days of social media upheaval, the 16million Facebookers joined hands with the other 7 million Nigerians on Twitter to lampoon the Senate for days and nights.

But, still, Saraki insisted his colleagues must receive the digital education. Why?

The proceedings of the National Assembly, as a whole, have always taken place behind a shroud, and the Senate President was convinced that a digital approach is the only way to end this and build a citizen-legislature nexus where the people would remain abreast of the ‘official’ dealings of the legislative body.

As however slated, the session took place, November 16, at the National Assembly. It was an awesome day with the Facebook team, led by the African Head of Public Policy, Ebele Okobi. If asked, I would tell you there’s indeed more to Facebook than facebooking. Aside the insights into how Facebook played pivotal roles in the emergence of erstwhile President Obama as the first black man in the White House, the whole gist of that day is a chronicle of how the Nigerian Senate would become an exemplar of participatory democratic parliament and digital governance in Africa, today. Glad it happened; glad I was part of it.

Since this day, a new era has dawned in the Nigeria’s parliament in terms of the efforts to change its clandestine nature. There is now a breath-taking pace of how information is disseminated and accessed. In a release by Bamikole Omishore, S.A to the Senate President on New Media, the Nigerian Senate Facebook live streaming gets an average view of four million unique clicks, monthly. On the other hand, the instantaneousness of the Live tweets from the Senate’s Twitter handle (@NGRSenate) is another landmark that has received global applauds.

From the foregoing, plus the remark by the world’s most popular social media platform (Facebook) on how Saraki has been able to open up the National Assembly with the technologies provided by New Media, it is impressive to note that digital governance is gaining more momentum in Nigeria.

 

“If the social media has the potential to transform governance by enabling efficient civic engagement, and making institutions more accessible and accountable, I have no reason to object the so-called Facebook training.” When I expressed this position, 2015, in an article entitled “Saraki: the Facebook Senate President,” I was only optimistic that the decision would be worth it eventually – this is the sort of hopes and actions that we need as a nation.

Conclusion

Transparency is the cornerstone of democracy.

From the National Assembly and beyond, the rise of the digital media in leaps and bounds is a clear indication that the Nigerian political landscape is fast transforming, no matter what the tides of the present challenges. As it is, it is noteworthy that the new trend has sharply decreased the entrenched marginalisation in governance and civic engagements.

But yet, we can do better. We would be more proud when the parliament fully sets another record of e-parliament and disclosure of budget details.

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Akorede Shakir is a writer at Forbes Africa, Huffington Post

The author tweets@akorive001