On Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2016, a young boy named Jake, who lives in a small village in Ghana, became a worldwide sensation as Instagram photos surfaced of the him completely entranced in a lesson.
Taken by Carlos Cortes, this photo far surpassed any expectations of receiving many “likes” on the social media site. Rather, it has given the boy the chance to receive an education thanks to donations from people around the world. Without Instagram, Jake and his peers might not have had the chance to attain an education.
This situation is not uncommon. People around the world view social media sites as enhancing the human experience. In every aspect of our lives — personal, social and even political, to name a few — we rely on social media to connect with people, establish an identity and gain information.
Let us talk about Jolly Tumuhiirwe, a Ugandan nanny who was caught on secret camera torturing 18-month-old Arnella.
Tumuhiirwe, who was charged with attempted murder appeared in court on Dec. 08, 2014, and was later imprisoned. Who knows? Would justice be served that fast without pressure from relevant bodies, many of whom took it to social media.
From Luzira prison, Tumuhiirwe asked the ‘world’ to forgive her for what she did.
Rubaga South MP Kato Lubwama is expected to appear before Kampala High Court Monday for the hearing of his academics qualification case that was filed by an activist Habib Buwembo.
Media attention hit Kato Lubwama following multiple videos shared of interviews in which his comments were perceived as controversial by critics.
Nevertheless, Lubwama’s constituency seems contented with their representative. “He has proved to be far better than the highly educated Ken Lukyamuzi he replaced despite his short spell in Parliament,” They say.
Who will ever forget the #SaveCarol campaign. Its proceedings will never be painted off the face of the internet. To this day, Carol drop one to two comments on social media pouring out her heart with a vote of thanks to those that prayed and walked all over media to fundraise for her throat cancer treatment.
Although some parents see social media as detrimental to their children, it actually does them some good to have social media accounts. Much more, Parents refer to it first on several occasions.
Missing Greenhill Academy pupil, Nicole was found following an outcry on social media.
Social media is not always an online distraction or procrastination platform. Should we put limitations to it, than ban it? This is debatable.
While some may be addicted to their social media networks, it is one of the best ways to stay informed.
So why doesn’t it get so much heat for Ugandan based Churches and leaders. A few preachers are adopting the trend, but many still feel out of place.
Critics argue that the younger generation’s obsession with the instant gratification aspect of social media networking accelerates narcissism and diminishes attention spans. Maybe that’s reasonable for those who take social media to an extreme.
One thing is for sure, we want to preach the gospel, social media is without a shadow of a doubt an effective tool.
aaron@ugchristiannews.com
