SocialMediaTrends: Youth Democratic Party, Oyigbo unrest, Burna’s track & other stories

Immediately after the long-awaited speech of President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday night, the general mood on the streets of Social Media swinged into one of disappointment and exhaustion.

Most Nigerians, mainly those involved in the #EndSARS protests, claimed that the speech lacked empathy especially as it failed to mention the Lekki shootings that saw at least 12 persons dead according to eyewitnesses. The hopes of protesters reaching their demands were dimmed even further.

These reactions lingered till Friday as youths have harnessed various social media platforms to re-strategize and discuss the way forward.

Numerous conversations abound on social media but the following trends on Twitter caught our attention:

#YouthDemocraticParty

The hashtag trended on Twitter once again alongside ‘#ItIsNotFinished’, ‘#PVCIsYourWeapon and ‘Come 2023’, insinuating that the youths are prepared to participate actively in the country’s politics going forward.

The Youth Democratic Party, a unanimous idea of Nigerian youths, currently has no leader and was born during the heat of the #EndSARS protests earlier in October. There are hopes that the party would receive due recognition by Nigeria’s electoral body, INEC soon.

I hope we'll carry this #BETTERNIGERIA spirit to 2023. We must not vote any PDP or APC candidate cos they're all the same. Youths are the leaders of tomorrow and we must lead. Vote #YouthDemocraticParty #ItIsNotFinished pic.twitter.com/y0G2HHhRYI

— Forever an Icon ❤️ + ? (@chimebest53) October 23, 2020

As good as this idea is, we really need to start small tbh. We should start from our streets/area, they use thugs to disrupt things, yeah? Let's educate them. If we get them on our side, there's practically nothing we can't do.

— • General Zee ? • #EndSARS (@heisTactic) October 23, 2020

We haven't come this far to give up….they will do all they can to instill fear in us and meddle with our minds. We are about cleaning up a mess that has been on for donkeys years, it can't be wiped out so easily. We must stay strong, our freedom is worth fighting for.

— Ros (@Aquarush94) October 23, 2020

You will be deceiving yourselves if you're waiting for 2023, thesame tactics they've been using will still be used against us. When independence was gotten, thousands died. Its a sacrifice. Until we're all ready to give our lives for this cause, I'm sorry we will stay stuck

— #ENDBADGOVERNANACE (@Dontbreakthemb1) October 23, 2020

This movement is the birth of a new Nigeria and a new force to recon with. We all need to join at every level. No present or past card carrying member of any major party would be allowed to join us. We are for one another. Let's make Nigeria the best nation#YouthDemocraticParty pic.twitter.com/EHMXPbvmws

— Eniola Joshua (@egbeyemieniola1) October 23, 2020

EVERYBODY get your PVC READY #ItIsNotFinished

— Davido (@davido) October 23, 2020

I HAVE NOT SLEPT since 20/10/2020. I close my eyes and all I see is Lekki toll gate. I’ve seen a lot of Violence and death in my Life but this is the one that has Traumatized me.

— Burna Boy (@burnaboy) October 23, 2020

Oyigbo

Rivers State experienced one of its bloodiest nights in recent times as troops alleged to be men of the Nigerian Army invaded Oyigbo community, a few hours after President Buhari’s public address.

While the cause of the attack is yet unknown, lives have been reportedly lost and many severely injured.

Tweeps have shared eyewitness videos from the killings that went down in the Niger Delta state, as they await the governor’s address regarding the situation.

According to reports there is an attack on oyigbo residents by armed Hausa men in military uniform.
One filling station has been set on fire.
I can hear multiple gunshots from my end.

We need help, I don’t know who to call!!

— Cabernet Franc (@ini_akinyemi) October 23, 2020

This is my longest night in history. Oyigbo is on fire. Unknown armed men are breaking into people's homes.

Please kindly come to our rescue. Retweet for the authority to come to our rescue ??

— Nnu Uburu?? #EndSARS #EndPoliceBrutality (@Hiyke7) October 22, 2020

They’ll still say it’s photoshop

— Caramel (@____Ariel___) October 23, 2020

Just got this video from someone at Oyigbo. Apparently the shooters were accompanied by the military… Rt for awareness! #EndSARS #NIGERIAPREVAILS #ItIsNotFinished pic.twitter.com/nLIoYtfV0S

— davvyd moore (@davvydmoore) October 23, 2020

@GovWike did you see this tweet,this is the reason why they headed to oyigbo and wike you allow this impunity on your people pic.twitter.com/WFjBLtao1A

— Brown king (@Brownki08909513) October 23, 2020

Read Also: SocialMediaTrends: Lekki shootings ‘photoshopped’, warehouse of COVID-19 palliatives & other stories

Burna

Grammy nominee and Nigeria’s award winning music artist, Burna boy, melted hearts on social media with a snipet of his single shared on his Instagram page commemorating the killing at the Lekki Toll gate in Lagos.

In the song, Burna boy called out the government for denying the occurrence of the shooting incidence and the deaths recorded. Tweeps reacted positively to the song.

You can hear the pain in Burna’s voice. The last few days have been overwhelming for all of us and 20-10-20 must never be forgotten! pic.twitter.com/VNmS28aBLG

— Iseunife The First ???? (@Shawnifee) October 23, 2020

“All ur atrocities, all of ur corna-corna, make all the dead bodies disturb u for ur dreams”

— Burna Boy (20/10/2023) pic.twitter.com/3iJfjBOgHE

— Burna And Fans (@burnaandfans) October 23, 2020

Burna singing about the protest is important. It must be documented. Accurately!

Everyone has a role to play, as long as we don’t look down on the ones not doing it the way we’d like & that was a lot of people’s beef with Burna. Myself inclusive.

I’m grateful he’s doing this &

— Grand Commander of the Feminist Battalion (@kikimordi) October 23, 2020

I don't know if there's already a music video for burna boy's “Monsters you made” but all these videos and pictures of all that is happening presently will fit in pic.twitter.com/CA7ujTmJEi

— i_am_molans ? (@miss_molans) October 23, 2020

We must Protect Burna Boy at all cost, he called out the Army, President & Governor who denied the Lekki Genocide. Can legit fill the Pain of Tuesday again while listening to it, need it released so we will listen whenever we are losing Focus.

He is Odogwu for a Reason ?

— Odogwu? (@Daddy_Nomso) October 23, 2020

Drone

Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo was put on the spot for going proverbial in a tweet addressed to Nigerians.

He had tweeted, “This morning, I woke up and remembered the African proverb: What an old man can see sitting down, a young man can’t see, even if he climbs the highest Iroko tree. Good Morning, Lagos. Good Morning, Nigeria”.

The Minister recieved backlash for the tweet suspected to have been addressed to the youths.

Tweeps then responded that they would adopt the use of drones rather than climb a tree. ‘Drone’ trended afterwards with over thirty thousand tweets.

pic.twitter.com/AoHsSlRFkF

— DREYLO (@RealDreylo) October 23, 2020

THE MURDERERS THAT AN OLD MAN PRETENDS NOT TO SEE, THE CHILDREN WILL EXPOSE WITH A DRONE!!!! https://t.co/kH0EHUmW21

— karma’s granny (@TheWeirdonian) October 23, 2020

A young fool also grows up to be an old fool. Age is not the SI unit of wisdom. Enough with these blanket statements

— Wolf of Lagos ?? (@SheunAdeola) October 23, 2020

We all saw Adams Oshiomole and Festus Keyamo become the monsters and demons they fought against.

Oh there is an African Proverb for that too: If you can beat them, join them.

Good morning, Lagos. Good morning, Nigeria.

— ?. ?. ?. Ⓜ ??‍? ✈ (@AimThaMachine_) October 23, 2020

Osun State

The South-Western state trended after residents in Ede town bursted another warehouse containing Covid-19 palliatives.

In videos made available on social media, the crowd could be seen scrambling for cartons of noodles, bags of rice, pasta, tomato pastes and other food items available.

Twitter users, again, condemned government’s failure to meet to needs of citizens during the COVID-19 lockdown, when the palliatives were needed the most.

pic.twitter.com/2bdQ8afJxt

— Ayemojubar (@ayemojubar) October 23, 2020

Injustice of man to man.

Now I know the extent in which we are being manipulated.
How do you intentionally starve your citizens for crying out loud

— short-black-girl (@its_rossey) October 23, 2020

There's hunger in the land o jare. They are only taking what belongs to them anyways.

— Ajoke (@Ajoketemide) October 23, 2020

Sigh! Davido and his fam donated 6,640 bags of rice to Osun State government during the COVID-19 pandemic and the Govt. still hoard that much bags of rice, indomie & spag in Ede

I doubt if 30% of Ede residents benefited from it, I wonder how Davido will feel now #ItIsNotFinished

— Tife? (@tifefabunmi) October 23, 2020

I dont think it's a coincidence.

They let the information about the storage, let the people eat and suppress the anger in the people.

BUT DO NOT GIVE UP ON A NEW NIGERIA BECAUSE OF THESE RATIONAL.

LET US KEEP FIGHTING.I LOVE MY COUNTRY

— Patrick (@Patrickafo14) October 23, 2020

…By Okiemute Abraham

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