The Hype of Coronavirus Pandemic in Southeast Nigeria: Some Thoughts

Abstract

The escalation of the Coronavirus to other countries around the world prompted WHO to declare the virus on January 30, 2020 a public health emergency (WHO, 2020). In lieu of its quick spread and high mortality rate, the WHO termed the virus a pandemic. However, in Nigeria, efforts to contain and sensitize the populace about this pandemic were put in place, media platforms were copiously engaged by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), sensitizing the masses on the preventive measures against the coronavirus. Despite their efforts, some social media users inundated the people with fake news, 'end-time' religious teachings, rumors and misinformation about 5G ultra-waves. The dominant questions are: what roles did the different social media platforms play in information dissemination on Covid-19 in Southeast Nigeria? What were peoples' reactions to these messages? How do the people view messages from government viz-a-viz their religious leaders or other sources? Why do individuals deem it necessary to 'forward' such messages to relatives, friends and different social media platforms like WhatsApp and Facebook? In answering these questions, this qualitative study explores social media outlets such as Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, blogs, online newspapers and YouTube where the contestations about the pandemic are most pronounced. This study through its finding using statistical frequencies, demonstrates that before the detection of the first victim of Covid-19 in Nigeria, the region was already agog with social media (mis)information about the pandemic causing panic among the populace followed by the frenzy need to 'forward' such messages to those in their contacts. In lieu of this, this study examines these contestations and contradictions about Covid-19 in Southeast Nigeria.

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