'Asking for basic human rights and a sustainable environment for Nigerians to thrive is not rebellion, it’s our democratic right,” says singer joeboyofficial in light of the new Twitter ban in his country.
it became a powerful force on social media. Posts from Nigerian artists whose music has become celebrated around the world were particularly impactful. Before Spotify expanded access to most African nations in February, Nigerian mega-musicians Burna Boy,, Wizkid, Tiwa Savage, Davido, and Mr Eazi collectively earned roughly 25 million monthly listeners on just Spotify alone, indicating an even greater demand worldwide.
The Twitter ban now stands to undercut local artists both professionally and politically. “[Twitter] is a means of livelihood for a large number of people and has been an integral part to promoting the Nigerian entertainment industry, which is one of Nigeria’s biggest and most important exports,” 24-year-old singerwas released in February, was active in the #EndSARS movement. “Just imagine taking Twitter or social media in general out of the equation during [#EndSARS],” he says.
While the explosion of Afrobeats worldwide is a seemingly positive development, the contrast between Nigeria’s cultural output and its internal politics couldn’t be starker. “Back in 2019, someone on Twitter joked about Nigeria having nothing working in it except jollof rice and Afrobeats and it was funny back then,” King Perryy says. “Problem is, that joke is our reality right now.”
In order to access Twitter, Nigerians must now use VPNs, or virtual private networks. They allow users to surf the web anonymously and with encryption. Many Nigerians are already bypassing restrictions and tweeting freely. But should the government come down harder on those who violate the ban, free speech and democracy will be even more stifled in the turbulent country. A vital tool for holding the powerful accountable in Nigeria will be in jeopardy.
“The best governments today are products of the people’s resistance to the oppressive mechanisms of the state,” King Perryy says. “The importance of pushback from the people cannot be overemphasized. For anyone to have any sort of hope in this country, something drastic has to happen and it has to happen right now.”
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