Prof. Eghosa Osaghae, Director-General, Nigerian Institute forInternational Affairs (NIIA), says social media is a powerful tool forsocietal growth, despite it has been heavily criticised with some of its platforms banned in many countries.
Guardian reports that, Osaghae told the News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) in Lagos on Sunday, “Ultimately, a cross-fertilisation of these ideas, the sublime and absurd alike, will fashion out a path to greater togetherness, growth and progress,”
He emphasised the need for Nigerians to prioritise national interest above other considerations while using social media and cautioned against the tendency to exaggerate perceived flaws to ridicule or divide the nation.
Osaghae regretted the flow of fake news, misinformation and negative perceptions into social media platforms, urging Nigerians to be more circumspect when handling issues bordering on insurgency, terrorism, ethnic relations and the “so-called national question debate”.
“Freedom behoves on the user the responsibility to be ethical, reasonable and responsible. So, we must always pander to national interests and defend our country.
“It is important for Nigerians to realise that citizens of other countries read what we put into the internet. We must strive to be positive so that others can have positive impressions about us.“NoNigerian should agree to be used as a surrogate for other countries’national interests,” he said.
“Patriotism should always be the guiding spirit. It should always be ‘country first’; your mother is your mother, no matter how ugly.“We shall help our country more if social media is used as a tool for sober reflection. For the leaders, it can be used as a feedback mechanism with everyone defending and extending frontiers of national interests.
Osaghae also spoke on ongoing efforts to reposition the 61-year-old NIIA to achieve its mandate as the epicentre for the constant interface between local and international affairs.“We are trying to rebuild, reposition and reinvent the institute to surpass what had been achieved in the past.