Assessing the Popularity of Twitter Usage After the Ban Lifting in Nigerian: a Study of Uniben Students
CHAPTER ONE
Objectives Of The Study
The major target of this study is to assess the popularity of twitter usage after the ban lifting in Nigerian: a study of UNIBEN students. Below are the specific objectives of this study.
- To examine the major causes of the Twitter ban in Nigeria.
- To determine the negative effect of the Twitter ban on Nigeria’s citizens.
- To Identify the rationale for lifting twitter ban in Nigeria
- To establish whether twitter retain its popularity in higher institution after the ban lifting
- To investigate the extent of twitter usage among UNIBEN students after the ban lifting in Nigerian.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
INTRODUCTION
Our focus in this chapter is to critically examine relevant literature that would assist in explaining the research problem and furthermore recognize the efforts of scholars who had previously contributed immensely to similar research. The chapter intends to deepen the understanding of the study and close the perceived gaps.
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
CONCEPT OF SOCIAL MEDIA
Social media are software tools that allow people to create and share information, ideas, career interests, and other kinds of expression through virtual communities and networks. According to Pate (2016) users often access social media services using web-based technologies on desktop computers and laptops, or through mobile apps that provide social media capabilities (e.g., smartphones and tablet computers). When using these technologies, users may build highly interactive platforms that allow people, groups, and organizations to exchange, co-create, discuss, and alter user-generated or pre-made information that has been placed online. They bring about significant and extensive changes in corporate, organization, community, and individual communication. Individuals and major businesses are changing their communication methods as a result of social media (Curran, O’Hara, & O’Brien, 2015).
According to Malayo (2015), in contrast to conventional media which uses a mono-logic transmission paradigm (one source to many receivers), such as a paper newspaper distributed to numerous subscribers or a radio station broadcasting the same programming to a whole city.Social media platforms use a dia-logic transmission method (many sources to many receivers). Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Reddit, Snapchat, Tumblr, Viber, VK, WeChat, Weibo, WhatsApp, Wikia, and YouTube are some of the most prominent social networking websites.
Maciejewski (2021) opined that social media are computer-mediated technologies that facilitate the creation and sharing of information, ideas, career interests and other forms of expression via virtual communities and networks. Users typically access social media services via web-based technologies on desktop computers and laptops, or download services that offer social media functionality to their mobile devices (e.g.smartphones and tablet computers). When engaging with these services, users can create highly interactive platforms through which individuals, communities and organizations can share, co-create, discuss, and modify user-generated content or pre-made content posted online. They introduce substantial and pervasive changes to communication between businesses, organizations, communities and individuals. Social media changes the way individuals and large organizations communicate (Curran, O’Hara, & O’Brien, 2015). These changes are the focus of the emerging field of technological studies. Social media differs from paper-based media (e.g., magazines and newspapers) or traditional electronic media such as TV broadcasting in many ways, including quality, reach, frequency, interactivity, usability, immediacy, and permanence. Social media operate in a dia-logic transmission system (many sources to many receivers). This is in contrast to traditional media which operates under a mono-logic transmission model (one source to many receivers), such as a paper newspaper which is delivered to many subscribers or a radio station which broadcasts the same programs to an entire city. Some of the most popular social media websites are Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Reddit, Snapchat, Tumblr, Viber, VK, WeChat, Weibo, WhatsApp, Wikia, and YouTube.
Evolution Of Social Media (Twitter)
The term social media is known by everyone in today’s world. Not only the urban areas but also the remote areas of the world have at least heard about Facebook. Instagram and Twitter and may be using them daily. Although it seems like a new trend at the present, it has been practiced and started a few decades ago. During the 20th century, technology began to change rapidly (Hendricks 2017).
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
INTRODUCTION
In this chapter, we described the research procedure for this study. A research methodology is a research process adopted or employed to systematically and scientifically present the results of a study to the research audience viz. a vis, the study beneficiaries.
RESEARCH DESIGN
Research designs are perceived to be an overall strategy adopted by the researcher whereby different components of the study are integrated in a logical manner to effectively address a research problem. In this study, the researcher employed the survey research design. This is due to the nature of the study whereby the opinion and views of people are sampled. According to Singleton & Straits, (2009), Survey research can use quantitative research strategies (e.g., using questionnaires with numerically rated items), qualitative research strategies (e.g., using open-ended questions), or both strategies (i.e., mixed methods). As it is often used to describe and explore human behaviour, surveys are therefore frequently used in social and psychological research.
POPULATION OF THE STUDY
According to Udoyen (2019), a study population is a group of elements or individuals as the case may be, who share similar characteristics. These similar features can include location, gender, age, sex or specific interest. The emphasis on study population is that it constitute of individuals or elements that are homogeneous in description.
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
INTRODUCTION
This chapter presents the analysis of data derived through the questionnaire and key informant interview administered on the respondents in the study area. The analysis and interpretation were derived from the findings of the study. The data analysis depicts the simple frequency and percentage of the respondents as well as interpretation of the information gathered. A total of one hundred and fifty (150) questionnaires were administered to respondents of which only one hundred and forty-one (146) were returned and one hundred and forty-one (141) validated. This was due to irregular, incomplete and inappropriate responses to some questionnaire. For this study a total of 141 was validated for the analysis.
From the demographic representation above, 51.1% of the respondent are male, 48.8% of the respondent are female. On age bracket, 39.7% of the respondent are aged between 15-20 years. 21.3% of the respondent are aged between 21-26 years. 24.8% of the respondent are aged between 27-32 years. 14.2% of the respondent are between 33years and above. On marital Status, 70.9% of the respondent are Single. 27% of the respondent are Married. While 2.1% of the respondent are separated/widowed. On level differentiation, 39.7% of the respondent are in 100 level. 21.3% of the respondent are in 200Level. 24.8% of the respondent are in 300Level. While 14.2% of the respondent are in 400 Level.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
INTRODUCTION
The main focus of this study is to assess the popularity of twitter usage after the ban lifting in Nigerian: a study of UNIBEN students. The chapter consists of summary of the study, conclusions, recommendations and suggestions for further studies.
SUMMARY OF THE FINDINGS
The study’s overall objective is to assess the popularity of twitter usage after the ban lifting in Nigerian: a study of UNIBEN students. The study further discussed the major causes of the Twitter ban in Nigeria, determine the negative effect of the Twitter ban on Nigeria’s citizens., Identify the rationale for lifting twitter ban in Nigeria, establish whether twitter retain its popularity in higher institution after the ban lifting and investigate the extent of twitter usage among UNIBEN students after the ban lifting in Nigerian.
The research adopted the survey descriptive design and with the aid of convenience sampling method, the researcher conveniently selected One-hundred and fifty (150) participant who are students of University of Benin in Edo State. Self- structured questionnaire was issued to the respondent of which one-hundred and forty-one (141) responses were retrieved and validated for the study. The study made use of of descriptive analysis and inferential statistics where data from field survey was analyzed using simple percentage, mean and standard deviation presented in frequencies and tables. Hypothesis test was conducted using Chi-Square Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS v.23).
This research is reported in five distinct yet interrelated chapters. In the chapter one we describes the study objectives clearly by stating the motive behind this study. Research hypotheses were developed for testing while the scope of this research was defined as well.
In the chapter two, the first outlined stipulated the conceptual framework which discussed major concepts like the concept of social media, evolution of social media (twitter), twitter, antecedents that led to the twitter ban in nigeria, ban of twitter in nigeria, implication of twitter ban in nigeria, rationale for lifting twitter ban in nigeria, popularity of twitter usage after the ban lifting in nigerian.
Followed by the conceptual review is the theoretical framework guiding the study of which the study is anchored on two major theories reflecting both the dependent and independent variable. Thus the framework guiding the study were The Uses and Gratification Theory propounded in 1974 by Elihu Katz, Jay Blumler and Michael Gurevitch and media imperialism by paul siu-nam lee (1988) which explain the relationship between the dependent and independent variable respectively. Related empirical studies conducted on this topic were also reviewed. Followed by the theoretical framework is empirical review. Notable works of Usman, cited in Asandu (2021), Otobo et. al (2021), Phillip (2022) were recognized.
From the result of the study, the following summarize the findings:
- Causes of twitter ban as opined from the minister of information is as result of using Twitter as media for promoting secessionist interest as well as the assumed fake news spread on the platform.
- Twitter ban ban has affected Nigeria citizen in several ways: ranging from disrupting social interaction, businesses impacted, brands loosing their online customers, shrinking of the civic space, breach on the fundamental human right and much more effect. From the political point of view it has created a strained relationship between the government and a cross section of its citizens, from the economy point of view, it has resulted in massive loss of funds especially for business owners, and from the international point of view it has not given Nigeria a good image especially in the international community.
- In order for the ban to be lifted, the Nigerian government wants the American based corporation to register twitter as a company in the country and also have representatives in the country.
- The federal government agreed to lift the ban, much to the delight of many Nigerians which did not in any way affect the popularity in higher institution after the ban lifting.
- After the lifting of the ban the extent of twitter usage among UNIBEN students is high.
RECOMMENDATION
From the findings of the study, the researcher recommends thus:
- One of the demands of the federal government in order for the ban on twitter to be lifted is the establishment and registration of the company as a business enterprise in Nigeria. The lifting of the ban should be followed by a quick implementation of this demand. Representatives of the corporation in Nigeria will have a much better understanding of Nigeria’s socio-political landscape and this will enable them make informed reports to their bosses.
- Foreign owned media organizations should address issues from a much wider perspective so as to avoid creating a much bigger problem while trying to solve one as in the case of what led to the twitter ban in Nigeria.
- The Nigerian government through its actions and inactions appears to be indulging in all sorts of antics at gagging the media in Nigeria especially through the different anti-press laws and bills, there is therefore need for a change of attitude on the part of the government so as not to be seen as dictatorial. Freedom of the press is crucial in any democracy and should be encouraged in Nigeria.
- The statistics of amounts lost as a result of the twitter ban in Nigeria shows the effect that social media does have on the socio-economic landscape in Nigeria. Efforts should therefore be made by various stakeholders towards reviving businesses and commercial activities on the platform especially in an era when the country is faced with a plethora of economic hardship.
REFERENCES
- Ajazeera News(2021 )How Nigeria’s Twitter ban stands to impact people, businesses:https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2021/6/7/nigerian-twitter-ban-how-government-restriction-affects-people.
- Ajazeera New: Nigerians on Twitter react to Nigeria’s Twitter suspension: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/6/4/nigerian-twitter-users-blast-govt-ban-of-social-media-giant
- Akase et. al, (2020). Evaluation of Social Media Influence on the outbreak of Covid-19 in Nigeria. Mkar journal of media and culture volume 5, no. 1
- Anyim, Wisdom Okereke, (2021). “Twitter Ban in Nigeria: Implications on Economy, Freedom of Speech and Information Sharing. Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal). 5975. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/libphilprac/5975
- Asandu, C. (2021, July 20). Nigeria’s Twitter blackout: What’s really behind Buhari’s social media ban? The Africa Report.Com.https://www.theafricareport.com/9528 0/nigerias-twitter-blackout-whats-really-behindbuharis-social-media-ban/
- Barker, M., Barker, D., Bormann, N., Roberts, M. & Zahay, D. (2016). Social media marketing: a strategic approach. Second edition. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning. Retrived from https://oamk.finna.fi/Record/kajakki.51069
