The Content Era: Separating Activism From Political Influencing

Activism is not about reinforcing ignorance. If it is to be effective and transformative, its first priority must be to actively guide the people toward the truth. The ultimate goal should be the triumph of legality over the high-handed subversion of the law. This is why real activists must strive to be distinct from “political influencers,” whose preoccupation is always the “next election,” a preferred candidate, or a vested interest.

Consequently, when I read the commentaries of former political influencers—individuals on this space who have actively promoted certificate forgers and defended those with PhDs acquired from fake institutions—I see them for what they are: simpletons in search of relevance. I quickly separate their tirades from genuine political participation that seeks balance and the collective good of society.

The easiest part of any human endeavor is criticism. It is easy to sit back and talk about everything that is wrong, blame the system, and sell a utopia. What is genuinely difficult is putting in the effort to make things work. The man who built his house on a flood channel is on Facebook telling you how the government must intervene in the perennial flooding threatening the people’s survival. Similarly, the child abuser is all over social media discussing human rights.

The reality of life is that you rewrite history through action, not words alone. From where I sit, there is already more than enough for which Soludo will be remembered. This fact cannot be erased by a thousand ignorant voices prospecting for political relevance and waiting to be “adopted” by the next power-seeking politician. Yet, Soludo is not done.

This is the era of content creation, where people showcase the gory side of things just to trend. To stay on the fast side of Meta’s algorithm, you are expected to hop on issues without deep reflection and court the attention of an unthinking mob.

What do you think: Should activism be about the truth and solutions, or just trending with the crowd?

— Mazi Ejimofor Opara