It will be unfair and totally an act of ingratitude for
one not to appreciate the ingenuity of those behind
the invention of Blackberry. Their effort towards
unifying the world and simplifying man’s work through
the use of the smart phone cannot be appreciated
enough.
I have been inspired by one of our prolific writers,
Rita Okoye who recently wrote on how young ladies
engage young men in a relationship through the use of
blackberry phone. In her write-up, Rita carefully
expunged how these girls play their game in the most
disapproving way. Her write-up did not only open my
eyes to the extent these desperate girls could go in
their search for money, husband and connection, but
was an eye opener to the general evil associated
with the use of that witty machine called blackberry .
In this article, I will slightly disagree with Rita who
held unto one side of her argument without
necessarily looking at the angle where the men also
got it wrong and become guilty as well as the ladies.
I have looked at several arising issues in this modern
day Nigeria. I have seen that Nigerians are real
extremists in so many things. I have weighed the
importance attached to one’s Blackberry phone and
one’s wife, and the difference is clear. I have also
weighed the difference between one’s food on the
table and the smart phone, and the difference is
obvious. It really doesn’t matter whether your wife is
falling into a pit, so long as a man can hold on to his
blackberry phone, there is no problem. It doesn’t
matter if a man stays awake throughout the night
viewing display pictures of his contacts so long as
some naughty pictures are displayed and some of the
girls are willing to send their nude pictures to satisfy
him. It doesn’t matter if a man drives into a pit or
into another car so long as he responds to chats while
he moves on the road. These are some of the things
that are possible while using a blackberry mart phone.
But aside playing against the natural rules of life as
a result of blackberry addiction, some other issues of
reckless spending and financial indiscipline are very
important issues to be addressed in relation to the
use of blackberry in Nigeria. A man can abandon his
responsibility in his home simply because his
Blackberry internet service (BIS) has expired. Young
people no longer read because they spend their time
both day and night chatting with friends through the
use of the blackberry phone. Pictures and music are
downloaded on the go. Research has shown that most
young people’s phones are full of depraved pictures
downloaded from the internet; it’s quite easy to go to
wapking and waptrick to get all sorts of terrible
pictures downloaded into one’s bb phone.
Aside the above issues raised, masturbation has
become the order of the day as young people share
erotic pictures while in a distant relationship. The
amount of time dedicated to blackberry cannot be
compared to the few hours spent reading, and
researching. I know a child who can stay awake all
through the night chatting with some faceless friends
on her bb, and I keep wondering what she learns from
the chats.
Investigation has recently revealed in Nigeria that
blackberry has caused more evil than good. It has
heated up the polity; it has led to broken marriages.
Wives have been confronted by husbands why they
can’t just let them have access to their phones. Men
sleep with their heads on their blackberry phones.
Analysis has shown that blackberry has got spirit that
can easily possess someone. Recently, about 20
percent of road accidents within towns are caused by
the use of this mobile device.
Rumour mongering has taken over the country, most
of which are unfounded and baseless. If it is not by
copying Charlyboy’s pictures from his DP and
syndicating online with the ryder, “Charlyboy goes
nude again” it will be“ 2face Idibia is dead” or
Chimaroke Nnamani is dead. The incessant
broadcasts on security matters and on Boko Haram
have actually downplayed the seriousness of the
trouble we face in terms of security in the country at
the moment. Why will people make senseless jokes out
of what is gradually killing them? BB has made all of us
talkative. On Blackberry, We talk so much, boast so
much and cry so much about our situation, yet we do
not act in relation to the same problems. One thing I
know has happened to us is that action has been de-
emphasized due to our plenty talk. We can criticize
on BB, forward messages, instructing others to
forward until it gets to the authority, but what
happens after it gets to the authority? It simply
explains that you are merely aware of the problems
and some of their antics, but it further explains that
we are incapable of asking direct questions because
we are simply gullible-simply put, we as clueless as
they are.
In Nigeria, Blackberry broadcasts spread rumour of
crisis where there is no crisis; it talks about war
where there is no war, and possibly about bomb blast
where there is none. Some of the broadcasts are
capable of steering more crisis and hatred in a
country that is already on the verge of collapse.
You may want to argue that the problem is not
peculiar to Nigeria, and I will disagree with you.
Nigerians do not use blackberry in the most moderate
way. The question any reasonable person should ask
at the process of acquiring a blackberry phone is “why
do I need it?” If you do not have a tangible answer
why you have chosen to use the smart phone, don’t use
it. This is not a campaign against blackberry; it’s
rather a campaign against our wavering objective;
our wobbly purpose and mission. We tend to become
group souls in what we do. We always go with the
crowd; we are not exceptional in our standing. We
feel ashamed each time we stand alone in a group,
even when our reason for standing alone is genuine.
Must we always go with the crowd if we must not?
Must I use the smart phone because friends tab the
buttons away while walking through the streets, inside
moluwe, or sitting at the owner’s corner of a Keke
Napepe? Blackberry accident is funny but disastrous;
the next step you are about to take while tapping
away with rapt attention is taking you into a gutter;
a woman could burn her pot while cooking because she
is tapping away-sad day for the husband and the
children.
I use blackberry, but I do not allow Blackberry to use
me. The day Blackberry will use me is the day I will
drop it. If we cannot be moderate with the use of this
phone, then my next memo to the government is to
push for the ban of this seductive mobile phone. Thank
God, I have someone like David Mark who will always
support my motion. My imagination speaks “Those in
support of the continuous use of BB in Nigeria should
say “I” – “IIIIIIIIII” those against should say
“nay” -“nay” Gbam…the“I’s have it… Gbam…