NJOMACS

This paper studied the perceived influence of social media on protests' coordination, organisation and mobilisation in Nigeria using two popular social protests that took place in 2012 and 2014. These are the #OccupyNigeria and #BringBackOurGirls Protests. The aim is to establish the influence of hashtags in the organisation and coordination of the #OccupyNigeria and #BringBackOurGirls social protests that took place in 2012 and 2014. The paper explored the technological determinism theory as theoretical framework. An in-depth interview was conducted with 6 key organisers of the protests, one in Kano, who helped organise the protests, two in Abuja, one was part of those who organise #OccupyNigeria and the other #BringBackOurGirls. Another organiser of the #OccupyNigeria in Lagos and one in the United States of America who coordinated #BringBackOurGirls in the US. The idea is to get insights into how the two protests were organised from the people who were at the centre of the organisation. Findings of the study showed that both #BringBackOurGirls and #OccupyNigeria use social media in the organisation, mobilisation and coordination during the protests. They specifically use social media for mobilisation and creation of awareness on the two protests. They both used social media to inspire global support and outcry. Also, social media provided a platform where people who never made it to any street protests had their voices to join in demanding for the rescue of the Chibok girls. The findings of the paper also show that classification of activists into “slacktivism” and “activism” based on mode is disservice to people who have decided to lend their voices, time and resources to noble causes across the world. The paper concludes that both #BringBackOurGirls and #OccupyNigeria were street protests which some scholars refer to as “real activism”, however, the two protests used social media specifically to mobilise people to join the protests and galvanise support from Nigerians and at the same time attract global support.