People belong to different groups on social media either voluntarily or you just wake up and see you have been added to a group.
Some groups have defined objectives, rules and focus, most are just there for the fun of it and they fizzle out gradually.
However, even where there are rules some members break it at will and if allowed all sorts of irrelevant items would be forwarded and the group loses focus.
For instance, one woman wanted to revive their family from different branches and formed a group and she gave clear instructions for members not to be sending unnecessary greetings, but to stay focused.
There was also a group opened for those undergoing training in farming activities. So this young woman would be forwarding prayers, when they spoke to her she was angry and said she must send the prayers to help people.
So, there was a dispute and they threatened to remove her. She was told she could send her prayers to other groups but not that one.
However, the biggest threats to the unity of group members are political issues and religion, that is why some groups warn against posting issues on them. Though some still do it and breed acrimony and hatred.
Nevertheless, some take a step forward and utilize the group beyond a ‘chatting’ arena into something productive.
One lawyer told me that after a long time, they decided to contribute money and so far they have provided uniforms and books to schools in some remote areas. This is a good development instead of using groups as an avenue for spewing lies, hatred and so on.
Even in groups where highly educated people are said to have intellectual discussions, some people like to dominate and would not want to be opposed to anything.
In any case, if only our young ones use groups to improve their education in let’s say reading, writing by discussing about them and getting materials on them. Or discussing a novel they have read or are reading, or an article. They can also discuss about some entrepreneurship skills and improve on some ideas
But the sad thing is they are obsessed with Zara Buhari, photographs, film series, make-up, wedding dress and such trivialities that would not benefit them.
Of course there are some that use groups to advance themselves doing business and learning, but those that I see fall more into the irrelevant ones that waste their time and fail exams because they are never serious about their studies, but more serious about the groups.
But some people believe parents have a role to play in determining which group their children enter by checking their phones and by providing them with reading materials. They feel that the moment you leave the child without prodding and encouragement, it can latch on to social media groups and neglect its education.
In any case, many members in such groups are more or less like spectators while few are active participants. At times you don’t know what to say, and in a few cases you feel compelled to respond. At the end you wonder what you are doing in such groups.
Where groups are supposed to be interactive, they have become places of acrimony and have brought discord among families by promoting gossip instead of promoting family cohesion.
You see aunties, uncles, cousins, children taking sides in arguments and before you know it, they may exchange abusive words.
Honestly speaking sometimes, I don’t know the purpose of the social media groups except a few ones like the Estate Group, if you live in an estate where information concerning the estate is passed; otherwise they are just forums for newspaper headlines, weddings, births and deaths news.
If people make the groups into charity, pressure and even political groups they would have achieved something positive.
