A Nigerian Jafaar Jafaar wrote an open letter to Mark Zuckerberg due to this displeasure over the unprecedented attention the Paris Attacks have received. In his letter Jafaar expressed his views about the lopsidedness in media coverage, specifically Facebook’s coverage of the attacks as opposed to similar terror attacks in Nigeria that have not received such robust media coverage in his opinion.
Premium Times published Jafaar’s letter here.
Another Nigerian, Babs Seyi Ope responded to Jafaar in the comments section of the Facebook post where his article was published.
His views below:
I have read several epistles of criticism over the use of the flag of France as profile display picture as a form of Solidarity with France from Nigerians.
While some criticised Facebook for injustice against Nigeria for having failed to design such picture whenever there is Boko Haram attacks, some criticised those Nigerians who used the flag of France as being unpatriotic to the cause of Nigeria. I personally had and still having some quality logic based arguments with my good friends on Facebook over the development. While some agreed with my submission, some didn’t and still haven’t.
My first point of argument is that every single life that is lost to terrorism is as precious as a million lives. Therefore, we should stop playing politics of selfishness with human lives.
In Nigeria, it has been difficult to defeat Boko Haram over the years because we have refused to stand in solidarity against the insurgence. Rather, we preach hatred, ethnic politics, religious politics and strange sermons of division. Our attentions to issues that require drastic approach to eliminate has been lakadaisically diverted. We blame leaders at every instance when our strength of unity should encourage our leaders to creating an enabling environment in ending the scourge. We need to begin to think and look inwards to see where we have got things wrong. If we don’t appreciate ourselves as Nigerians, no foreign country will give us our due respect.
On the alleged injustice of Facebook, I don’t think that is right. Such criticism must have come because Facebook is a western company and as such is seen as being more committed to the cause of the west rather than the entire world. I totally disagree. For every action and decisions, there are both emotional and premeditated undertones. However, ideas are subjected to innovation of the mind. The flag concept probably might not have occurred to Facebook until after the the Paris attack. The concept has to begin from somewhere not necessarily because Facebook group is heartless and more committed to the cause of the west. We seem to be more prayer conscious rather than being observant. As a regular facebooker, this is the very first time I am seeing the flag concept relating to solidarity against terorism. I stand to be corrected. Even the Bible enjoins us to mourn with those who mourn and rejoice with those who rejoice.
As for Patriotism, one’s patriotism is not measured by his or her identifying with another country in trial times, rather it is determined by your passion and rule of engagement to the issues of national discourse. Let us not mix up patriotism with passion for solidarity over human lives. They are two different things entirely. We should rather focus our attentions and divert our energies for a better and secured Nigeria not being apprehended by our own imaginations and self pity. What separates us from the rest of the world is either land mass or territorial waters, we are all human beings.
God bless Nigeria.