In the wake of the Coronavirus outbreak, Nigerians are making reasonable efforts to adjust to the new requirements of socialisation. Seeing as some of our favorite outdoor activities like clubbing, casual hangouts, and dinners have been suspended indefinitely, people all over the world are searching for sustainable alternatives to retain the pulse of their lives.
Try to imagine a weekend in Lagos without any Owambe. Can you even?
Unfortunately, this is the current reality. Social media has done a good job of easing boredom and many have recently fallen in love with face-to-face social network apps like Zoom, Skype, Triller and more recently, House party.
Interestingly, the now-viral video chat app that has enjoyed millions of downloads in the past few days, is not new at all. House party was launched in 2016. However, its popularity seems to have stemmed from the Coronavirus outbreak, not just in Nigeria but around the globe.
With the possibility that some states will be contemplating total lockdown in the coming weeks, Nigerians have found comfort in the fact that they can still see their friends and enjoy virtual entertainment in real-time.
The app offers in-app games such as trivia or screen-sharing services that allow friends to go on dating apps or watch TV programmes together. Users can enter friend’s conversations on House party without permission unless their friends specifically “lock” the conversation rooms.
This interestingly has provided Nigerians with a way to cope with social distancing, alerting them once their friends are in the house and ready to chat.
The app also allows users to send “facemails” – video messages that will play when their friends open the app. Houseparty also pulls contacts from social media apps like Facebook and Snapchat, allowing users to invite and connect with their friends easily.
Will Nigerians be leaving Twitter for House Party?
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