Nigeria - Most-Searched Topics in April 2021
Nigerians' Most-Searched Topics in April Demonstrate Their Appreciation for Music Icons and Opposition to Sexual Molestation
April was loaded! It contained the good, the bad, and the ugly, and public interest was piqued by each.
The month's most searched terms reflect a strong appreciation for indigenous musical icons and a strong disdain for sexual molestation. Here are the most frequently searched terms and their associated meanings from Oliver de Coque and Baba Ijesha to Ramadan and Dr Isa Pantami.
Oliver De Coque (200k+ Searches)
Oliver De Coque, a late Nigerian guitarist and musician, received a Google Doodle three weeks ago to honour his 74th posthumous birthday. Oliver Sunday Akanite, as he was known in real life, died in June 2008 of a heart attack at the age of 61.
In 1994, the Alaafin of Oyo crowned the highlife maestro the King of Highlife for his consistency throughout his musical career. He was also an accomplished player of okwe, a traditional board game. As a result, he earned the moniker Oliver de ka Okwe, which he later adopted as his stage name, Oliver de Coque.
After the doodle went live, over 200,000 Nigerians searched for his name. It demonstrated the public's love and appreciation for indigenous music icons and pioneers, similar to the turnout for BurnaBoy and Wizkid when they received Grammy awards.
Pantami (more than 20,000 Searches)
On April 12, there was outrage when NewsWire, a Nigerian news organization, claimed in a publication that the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy had been placed on a US watch list. According to the publication, this was due to the minister's close ties to terrorist groups such as Boko Haram and Al-Qaeda.
On his Twitter account, the Minister denied the allegations and announced that he would sue the media outlet for defamation of character. However, a popular Nigerian journalist, David Hundeyin, exposed an audio recording of the minister expressing support for Jihad in Nigeria. Since then, the new evidence has elicited a range of emotions in people, including fear and anger.
Nigerians resolve to social media to demand the minister's resignation and express their concerns about Pantami's access to NIN details. The Buhari administration responded that the communications minister had properly apologized for his previous actions.
The presidency's response to the national outcry has only reinforced the belief that it is unwilling to administer justice equally. This is because another Minister, Kemi Adeosun, was forced to resign following allegations that she obtained her NYSC exemption certificate illegally to enter public office.
Baba Ijesha (more than 20,000 Searches)
Baba Ijesha's story is yet another can of worms that exploded earlier this month. The popular Yoruba actor was arrested and is currently being investigated by the Lagos State police command for sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl since she was just seven years old.
Attempts to learn more about the act totaled over 20,000 Google searches for Baba Ijesha. Numerous people have criticized the actor and others who commit such acts on social media. Women also shared their experiences of constantly having to be on guard to avoid predators.
The incident and the media coverage surrounding it highlight the dangers women face when their male counterparts commit abusive acts.
Prison Break in Owerri (10,000+ Searches)
On April 5, 1,844 inmates escaped from the Owerri Prison following a jailbreak by unidentified gunmen. The gunmen attacked the prison with explosives and rocket-propelled grenades and engaged the guards in a gun battle. Eventually, the guards were defeated, the inmates were released, and a nearby police station was looted.
Insecurity is a growing concern in all 50 states. There were over 10,000 searches for the prison break in total, as people feared what the escapees and gunmen would do next.
In April, Nigerians chanted a common refrain: "Justice!" Above all, the outcries perfectly reflect the desire of many Nigerians to see those responsible for atrocities such as rape, sexual molestation, banditry, and other acts of criminality brought to justice.
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