Benefiting on social media
The social media is inundated with warnings by some persons after the news of a mother of 5, who was supposedly lured by her Facebook contact and was subsequently kidnapped and murdered by three brothers in Abuja in May 2020, filtered into the thin air.
It is a pity that a bad ordeal in its shoddiness befell the mother of 5 whom the press was yet to tell the world whether she had a husband or not and what she went to do with her once Facebook contact. Whichever, I would want to say that while it is essential to take precautionary measures with people we meet on social media and real life, we cannot rule out the benefits that abound on social media.
In 2011, I met a woman from Okirika who stays in the UK, on Facebook. She was married. She was a pastor or an evangelist in the Christian faith, contrary to my irrational belief-system. She was of age, not older. She was my elder. We became friends and talked on phone everyday for over a year. We talked politics, family, Europe, Africa and other relevant topics. We benefited from each other in mutual ways till change became a culprit in-between our friendship and time took event of the whole this.
In the same year or so, one Engr H.E.N who lives in the USA became my friend. He was older. When he visited Nigeria within the period in view, I was a beneficiary of some media equipment. He invited me to a remote area in Port Harcourt and handed me with the equipment.
I have met countless persons and benefited from them through social media, likewise, others have benefitted from me. In the recent past, I met Engr John who gave me a substantial amount of money in hundreds of thousands to solve a pressing need. We only saw each other in one or two occasions before the assistance. He doesn't know where I live. All he had and still has of me is my email, phone number and Facebook contacts.
The money which I was supposed to pay back as quick as possible, lingered. He was angry but we didn't quarrel. I didn't stop to pick his calls. In the event I missed his call, Icalled back. Over the time, I was able to offset that debt and our friendship was rebuilt.
The above points were not intended to say that people do not meet their waterloo on social media. No. The message that I wanted to pass is that while some persons might have been unfortunate with their social media contacts, some others got married, job opportunities and other possitivities online. Adding to this, through online, I have been opportune to meet some de creame de la creame in Nigeria. Some invited me to their house, office, rendezvous etc.
However, it is not out of place that we are very careful in this wicked world. But I am not sure what the husband of a mother of 5 would be telling his God that his wife went to do at the home of a man she met on Facebook. Except she had no husband, but it's morally right for a married woman to know her bounds while relating with some online male friends and vis-à-vis.
We are living in a dislocated world, even though the internet makes the world a global village. The dislocation is in people's consciences. Many have sold their minds and souls, hence even killing the other person does not mean any negative dealings to them. Talking of fraudulent activities online is no longer news. Conversely, we have to disabuse our minds in accepting wrong perceptions that the internet is a dangerous place to meet friends. Mind you, many have had positive connections, traveled abroad, marry, earn gifts etcetera through online friendship.
It is a pity what befell the mother of 5. My empathy.
©ODIMEGWU ONWUMERE
June 5 2020.