I can’t help but notice that Twitter is different things to different people. From notice board, to village square, battlefield, law court, morality court, elders’ forum, dating site, chat room, vent room, directory, diary, campaign ground and even firing squad.

One of the really frustrating moments for a writer is when (s)he’s indecisive about the direction of a piece. The writer’s block is secondary in experience. With the former, you have all the thoughts or potential story ideas swimming in your head yet you can’t pick out that most-compelling one. While in the latter, it is what it is – Blocked! Right now it’s a struggle to pick the most-important so I’d settle for the top-of-the-mind attraction.

Twitter has become like second home to me these days. Half the time I visit the environment, I’m there to observe, get inspired some other times or just have a good laugh. And yes, it’s been a school of sort – the ‘iru wa ogiri wa’ (all-comers) type. The kind of escapism it provides is best described as chaotic pleasure.

I can’t help but notice that Twitter is different things to different people. From notice board, to village square, battlefield, law court, morality court, elders’ forum, dating site, chat room, vent room, directory, diary, campaign ground and even firing squad.

I trail far behind those who have Tweets aggregating scores of thousands neither am I a member of the Twitter Movers and Shakers Association of Nigeria (TMSAN). As a matter of fact I stopped chasing volumes a while back unlike my early years when I’d set targets of crossing certain numbers in xx time frame. I have since found out that it’s easier to tweet when driven by other passions.

As expressive as Twitter is for many people, I have been tutored afresh on the sensibilities of the Nigerian people via Twitter and hence cautioned accordingly. I’ve seen people get bashed for days unending even when the ‘inciting’ tweet was deleted minutes after post. The more popular the name, the more severe the rebuke.

Twitter has not only birthed virtual and real time celebrities but also casualties and then there are the in-betweens. One thing however is that you determine which category you fall via ur tweets since Twitter isn’t automated by a committee of sort.

In my five years of Journalism study, more years of reporting, lesser years of Opinion writing as a Columnist in a National newspaper and fewer years as an active Twitter user,  I can say categorically that Twitter’s been more forceful in ensuring language-responsibility and accountability for me.

I have realised that ‘owning’ a Timeline isn’t quite the same as running your own column for the Newspaper. Writing your column can in fact afford you more freedom than your TL ever will (unless of course you are Kola Boof or a focused attention-seeking individual). If there’s a word more instant than instant, that’s what feedback to ‘sensitive’ tweets are especially when God assists you with an RT by a member(s) of the TMSAN. Thy reward shall cometh speedily.

It may be important to state that Twitter Users use different dictionaries and as such you may never fully understand what is ‘sensitive’ on Twitter. Only a few months ago, a ‘careless’ innocent tweet got ethnically interpreted and I spent the whole day apologising for my ‘indiscretion’. Yes it can get that bad, even worse. If you doubt me, ask @IAM2Shotz @muna01 or even @wandeCoal. Twitter spares no one; famed or not.

The second half of the year is my excitement right now and even Twitter is aware. It’s perhaps more instructive and encouraging to me because I’m a football lover and I’ve watched games turn around during the second 45-minutes. In fact such matches are more memorable. I’m putting my guards back (yes I am) and pursuing with every strength in me the mark which is peculiar to my race. With Twitter as my ally, my sources and mentions piling, the unstoppable grace behind, the top is secured.

Lolade Sowoolu is a prolific writer, trained journalist, certified broadcaster and Christian. Her journalism experience spans over six years covering crime, business, and entertainment. Her works have been published by Daily Independent, Vanguard, Nigerian Entertainment Today and countless magazines.  She blogs on www.loladesowoolu.wordpress.com and tweets @loladeSowoolu. Her materials litter the internet!

*Op-ed pieces and contributions are the opinions of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of Y!/YNaija.