Media as tool of oppression

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Scholar like Karl Marx believes that media is a medium of oppression. For him, media is used by the bourgeoise elites to fulfill their agenda.

Before modern day social media, media like television, radio and newspapers have been used to sell what the elites want the general masses to buy.

We were helpless and only read, or saw what they want us to read and see. Most times, our petitions and adverts were rejected or thrown away because they were against the interest of the elites.

In most countries, these media are owned by rich and influential personalities. They simply pay the salaries of their workers who constitute the majority of the workforce.

These elites also try to spread their wings by connecting with other elites. This gives them the opportunity to fight for the interest of one another.

Once an article is written against an elite, the editor, being close to the owner knows which report should be public and which should not and as such bury the story before it gets out.

For many years, we've been fed what we must consume only by the elites and not what should be consumed.

During the time of Fela Kuti, the Afrobeat legend, media was in its dark phase and was used massively to hide the truth.

In his own way, he tried to reveal the loopholes in the media. Once a news comes out about a stollen fund or money laundry, the government would use media to disregard it and claim no money was stollen.

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In today's society, media is still being used massively to favour the elites. We know that poor people don't own the media and as such, they are used to protect the interest of the elites.

This perhaps is responsible for why the government is eager to pass a bill to restrict freedom of speech via social media in Nigeria.

The tool has been influential in shaping how information is disseminated and consumed by Nigerians.

Even with this powerful tool in the hands of both poor and the rich, we are still censored and banned for going against the interest of the owner.

If you act as a civil organisation, fight a cause against the government, report injustice done by government or security officials, you risk losing your account.

If such is not removed for 'violating' the rules set by the owner of such platform, you will be banned and blocked from being a member of it.

So to remain in such platform, you need to dance to the tune of the owner. Remember, no one makes a rule that doesn't favour him.

So we've been under this prison of media, a strong and powerful tool by the elites and government to control and suppress our power.

As a free being, you need to fully express yourself and to do that, avoid being oppressed by the media.

To achieve that, stay clear such media that censor your articles just because it doesn't favour them or against the rules set by them without consultation.

See it as a tool to correct them. If they hide the truth, use social media in a platform that wont 'censor' it to reveal their lies. The power is now in your hands, use it.

Thanks for your time.