24th September, 2010
Facebook! Facebook!! Facebook!!! It is one social networking site launched on February 4, 2004 with more than 500 million active users in July 2010. Mark Zuckerberg founded Facebook while he was a student at Harvard University. Initially, only Harvard students were allowed to use this site. But it was later expanded to other university students in the USA and then to other parts of the world. 
We have several other networking sites like Twitter, You tube, Yahoo Messenger, Skype, etc, but Facebook has gained so much popularity over the others, especially among Nigerians.
Facebook has been blocked intermittently in some countries like Syria, Iran, China, Pakistan and North Korea. Someone also told me it is prohibited in Vietnam,. I don’t know the reasons behind the blocking but I guess it has more to do with religion and productivity.
No doubt, facebook, just like every other social media is a wonderful networking site. So many good things happen on facebook. Lives have been positively affected through facebook. 2011 is here and it is one year that will decide the fate of Nigeria as we shall all march out to decide who rules the nation from May 2011.
The youths form a greater percentage of facebook users as most of the older ones see only the negative contributions of facebook. But like I told a friend who has tried his best to discourage me from going on that site, Facebook will become to you whatever you want it to be.
Let us take a look at the politicians who are making use of facebook. Our dear president, GEJ as he is fondly called on facebook, has been able to attract a very large number of followers, especially the youths to his side. For the first time in the history of this great nation, we have the opportunity of relating with our president and speaking our minds without fear or hindrance.
What about our own Governor Fashola? I have been opportune to engage him in a discussion on Facebook. I have said things that ordinarily I may not have had the opportunity to tell him. I see also Mallam Nuhu Ribadu of the ACN relating with people on facebook and getting to know what Nigerians have in mind. Though most people are in doubt if they are really the ones we communicate with, but tell me, isn’t this a very wonderful achievement?
I have come into contact with so many wonderful people through facebook. I have been given little contracts by people I met on facebook. I have learnt one or two things from more experienced writers who I got to know through facebook. There are so many politicians that I wouldn’t have become friends with but for Facebook.
What about relationships? I recently attended a wedding of my facebook friend who met his wife through facebook. I was the deputy senior prefect in my secondary school, but recently I met my senior prefect who is now with MTN. This is facebook, making it possible for me to meet someone I saw last 1994. She is not the only one as I lost contact with; my best friend who left Nigeria sometime 2001 to join her husband in Chicago visited me here in Nigeria some months back. I met her again through facebook.
I don’t think anyone who really understands facebook and what it is there for will ever say it is evil. But trust Nigerians, we know how to make the good things of life become bad. We always turn blessings into curses. Facebook is now a tool for the propagation of lies and immorality.
Facebook has suddenly become a place of work for so many idle minds. I once posted this on my wall, I got it from a friend and decided to share it with my friends:
Welcome everyone, to the world’s greatest amusement park…facebook.
Where liars tell more lies, losers are ceo’s, enemies are facebook
Friends, every sinner is a saint, weak people are cyber thugs, haters
Complain about haters, cap’n save em is now a pimp, every relationship
Seems loving and secure (even when it’s not)…….so step right up
People, be all that you can be….without joining the army.
The above is a typical description of facebook. China has also helped in giving everyone access to facebook through the existence of the cheap Blackberry phones. This has led to a severe abuse of this social networking site.
I want us to take a look at the negative effects of facebook on the society.
PRODUCTIVITY:
With the youth forming a greater percentage of facebook users, businesses are affected negatively. The users of facebook sometimes become addicted to it and they allow their jobs to suffer. This is why it now a big offence in so many offices to use facebook during working hours.
Are we to talk about our schools? It is rather unfortunate that parents deem it right to give blackberry phones to their children. I saw a 10-year-old girl with a Blackberry Bold in school. I intentionally asked the teacher to know her position in class, the response I got was expected. That girl will not achieve anything positive in school with such a huge distraction. Even in higher institutions, students are busy chatting on facebook while lectures are on. I allow my kids chat with friends abroad but that is done strictly through laptops under my guide.
DECEPTION:
So many people have been deceived through facebook. So many girls have fallen victim of jobless and wicked men who go on facebook just for women. Girls have also deceived a lot of men into making them believe they are what they are not. So many lie about their identity and have through that way got details of innocent men and women for their wicked acts.
Talking about pictures, so many people use fake identities. Some girls post pictures that have nothing to do with them and I see guys fall for their antics. Also on facebook, you see the worst sinners become saints. I had to stop responding to most of those posts as I now see it as deception. I am a Christian who believes in the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, but guys, let us stop acting as if we are sinless.
NUDITY:
I once had to edit my friends on facebook and from that day, I made up my mind to be very choosy when it comes to friends. I had to delete girls who have pictures that show their breasts almost falling out of their clothes and their tummy not properly covered. I also removed guys with singlets and bare bodies.
We have so many matured, busy minds on facebook so I see it as a waste of time relating with people who do nothing but talk about their boyfriends/girlfriends, sex and clubbing. I see the likes of Babafemi Ojudu, Tony Uranta, Sola Salako, Adesuwa Onyenokwe, Prof. Sola Adeyeye, Prof. Pat Utomi. Why then should I waste my time chatting with people that only see the beau