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I was the type who would stop at any African Markets, be it in London or Las Vegas just to buy palm oil. Ok, that was an excuse for me to go there and meet fellow compatriots and exchange ideas on happenings at home. I stopped doing that about a year ago when I joined the digital age and discovered the messageboard- the battleground of the 21st century. These days, when I meet a compatriot who is full of passion and enthusiasm, someone that would cancel his second job just to discuss our embattled country, I take the honor to refer him or her to the messageboard. I would usually say, “Visit the messageboard and meet your equal.”

For those who know the messageboard, it is place where talks are expensive. At the messageboard lives men and women whom Jeff Greenfield would call Thoughtful Political Observers (TPO). And no place has a huge collection of TPO as Nigerian messageboards. For anyone who desires to understand Nigeria, such a person has to visit these messageboards and evaluate the different opinions obtained there. To understand why governance and policy formulation and execution are no easy tasks in Nigeria, one would need to enter the mindset of Nigerians that are on display on Nigerian messageboards.

The messageboard is not like anything known to man. The closest thing that resembles the messageboard is a graffiti wall. To a large extend, anyone can come to the messageboard and register. And once in, anyone to some extent is free to say whatever he or she wishes. The Nigeriaworld messageboard for example came into being within the last week on June 1999. In less than a year, it has registered over 11,000 comments. The comments ranged from the serious to the mundane. Some are funny while some are insulting. But each contribution is an obvious reflection of the opinion of the contributor and the collective frame of mind of the people who make up the Internet community.

Like a graffiti wall, the writer has the right to use his or her name or to adopt an alias. The issue of alias has been one of the most debated issues on the messageboard. For many reasons, most contributors choose to use an alias rather than their real name. But even the alias often says a lot about the writer. The argument against those who use alias is that it gives them more freedom to say whatever pleases them. Countering it is the point that anyone can actually adopt an alias and enjoy the same advantage if they so desire. Like graffiti, the writer who chooses to be anonymous is neither seeking applause nor is he or she seeking awards, unlike the writers who insists in using their real names.

Aside from political reasons and the fear of reappraisal, one common reason why most writers will not want their opinion to be associated with their real names is because commentators most often ignore the issue in question but rather prefer to attack the writer. Being it that the only known fact about the writer on the Internet is the name, and being it that most Nigerian names easily betrays the ethnicity of the writer, the discussion immediately degenerate into an ethnic chest-beating. It is an unavoidable component of the Internet especially as it gives people the opportunity to say what pleases them.

Having said that, it takes a lot for anyone to decide to write on the messageboard. By doing so, one is exposing themselves to the ultimate criticism from people some of whom one may never meet. On the messageboard, one is like a cockroach in a gathering of fowls. Some people will intentionally oppose your view just for the heck of it. Just like in outside society, some people are simply interested in finding a voice and not necessarily in saying what in their heart they know is right. For others, based on their knowledge and life experiences, they are convinced that the eternal truth is in their possession only. In any case, if everyone agrees, then the board will lack its excitement and entertaining and educating value.

The messageboard is not a place for those who have huge ego. A small boy who cannot differentiate the left from right can easily make an old man who saw two world wars look foolish. In the battle for ideas, the power of persuasion and the possession of verifiable information count a lot. Debates are lost and won on these bases. Most often, the participants do not end up agreeing on anything. Most topics never have any conclusion but in the heart of those who participated in the debate, a lot has been built in consciously or unconsciously.

Some of the topics that have been discussed with great number of participants are Okadigbo, NPF and the Mace, Another goof by Obasanjo’s Government, The New Biafra, Dangote, Akume and BCC, the New Biafra Republic, The Biafra Story, Nzeribe Begins Moves to Impeach Obasanjo, The Hausa-Fulani army and SNC, If Nigeria Breaks Up, Would Theophilus Danjuma be tried for Murder, Bola Tinubu, P.M. News and other lies, 20 pounds and Awolowo’s post-Biafran economics, That Clinton-Obasanjo Press Conference, State of Emergency in Niger-Delta, IBB Update: The Denouement, Nigeria’s Swan Song, Governors suspend Sharia, And the president said, “Show me evidence against IBB”, Another Bobo in Abia, etc

It is common to watch people arrive on the messageboard with the feeling that they are going to turn the place around. People who think they have the whole solution to the Nigerian problem come to the board with so much passion. In a short while, it wilts away. When they confront the impenetrable walls that some commentators are, what is left is frustration. Even writers who are obviously on the wrong side of the issues hardly find the grace to accept what looked like the universal truth. Most will carry on with their argument until thy kingdom come. But knowing that the outer space of a writer may not change while the inner space is being transformed, most commentators continue to expand on their life philosophy.

Of course, in a forum as this, one of the most common sticky points is the issue of censorship. Writers during their registration process agree with the terms set up by the Webmaster who runs the messageboard. Often, when writer go against these terms, they are reprimanded by the webmaster. Immediately, the question that is raised is that of censorship and attempt to silence a viewpoint. A lot of contributors have bowed out as a result. But any contributor worth his salt finds him or herself at one point or another crossing the line as defined by the webmaster. The nature of the trade is such that most commentators do not have the time to think deep before writing. And coupled with the fact that all one needs is to click on send and that is it. Most often, there is no time to sit and reflect before a view is sent across. The result is the firework that is sometimes obtained on these messageboards.

One of the beauties of the messageboard is that each writer is an editor and a reporter all at the same time. No topic is off the range and anyone can bring it up at any time even if it has just been debated. It is not uncommon to see the same topic being debated on two or more threads within the same messageboard. It is equally not uncommon for people to resurrect issues that were debated extensively weeks or months before. The volume of the debate going on is so enormous that no one person can read all the threads. Some topics on themselves may not catch the interest of some writers. But as it often happens, most debates have the tendency of going on a tangent. A little provocation, a little digression could lead to an explosion.

Despite it flaws, the messageboard is a wonderful place. It is the frontline where ideas clash. It is a battlefield where personalities square off. It is a virtual family of some sort and like all families; different characters reside in there. The longer one stays on the messageboard, the stronger the bonds even with those whose position one disagrees with. The Nigeriaworld Messageboard for instance is a mini- Nigeria. There are the elite, the masses, the comrades, the revolutionaries, the moneybags and the academia. There are the journalists, the lawyers, the doctors, and every other juggernaut professional group in existence in Nigeria. And of course, there is no shortage of humor. A possible marriage between two members is also expected any time soon.

Some of the names that have graces the Nigerian messageboards are unique to Nigeria. Names like MrOneNaija, Ndigbo, Ranka Dede, Juju Jungle, Ikembafront, Biafra, SperK, Mr. B, Anu Nti, Ojukwu, Big Steve, and Ajasco. Other names say a lot about external influences. Names like MrLighthouse, Uncle Sam, MC, Volvo, Chiboy, Charlesangel, Solid, Topcrest, Alf, Bizon, Blackzinger, Le Figaro, MalcomX, Damian, Ambrose, Emmag, Minuteman, London gent, Topic, Allexy, Coolbee, Beepee, Radicate, Pooky, Haste, Babawilly, CSE, AJ, Onombs and NUJ. And of course, there are the traditional names like, Tunde, Senu, Adey, Shugar, Jike, Okey, Nwebube, Kunle, Enobong, Wale, Keshi, Ednut, Ibiboman, Labiadetu, Ahmed, Aisha, Chudi, Mike, Ekaladeran 2, Otunde, Anyi20, Samuel, Orems, Toks OK, Ebe, Opebi, Dianne, Chuck, Funsola, Danladi, Anthony, and Onombs.

Some Nigerians however are using what looks like their full names. Names like Ajibola Robinson, Dele Ogunremi, Wakil A. Lawal, Laolu Akande, Nkem Eugene Ejiofor, Sunny Azubike, Tunde Onabanjo, Clement Ikpatt, Mobalaji Aluko, Wole Okunowo, Taofiqi Ishmaili, Yomi Messiri, Onuegbe Emmanuel, Ibrahim Ademu, Egwuatu Ozoemena, Adebayo Agbe, Aonduna Tondu, Benson Eyin, Zaiyol Karl, Fumi Onodipe, Uchenna Nwosu, Joseph Onyeocha and Chike C. Obi.

Whatever name anyone is using, mere mentioning of these names receives a serious response from the bearer of the name. It is not uncommon to hear commentators warn another for crossing the line. A kind of “Do you know who I am?” one hears in Molues around Lagos. Even when a commentator’s name is known only to him or herself, the commentator most often guards against those who would try to insult or embarrass the name. Sometimes, a commentator who had assumed an alias would begin to tell their autobiography just to make a point. And before you know it, readers will have information as broad as date of birth, place of birth, High School attended, degrees obtained and names of children and wives.

There have been many classic encounters on the messageboard that are both historic and entertaining. It is either a clash of the titans or a clash of the maggots. When that happens, it is the observers who enjoy the exchange of words and ideas. Usually it happens when two people that feel strongly about their position on an issue battle it out. They use all the weapons at their disposal. It could be grammar or mere BS. When the ramble is going on, most observers stay away while some play the role of peacemakers. Any reader could see people sweating. At one or two occasion, blood was splashed along the information superhighway. But like everything virtual, even the dead resurrects. People are cloned and transfiguration is easy to come by.

Recently, the members of the Nigeriaworld messageboard went beyond sheer talking to do something positive. They wrote a commendation letter to an honest Taxi Driver who returned money that was left in his cab. They also donated some money towards the education of the driver’s children. It was the first successful attempt at channeling the energy of contributors towards some positive goals. And it is bound to continue. The possibility of this forum is limitless just as the possibilities of the Internet. And there is every indication that more good things will come out of the squabbling that usually characterize the messageboard.

As we mark the one-year anniversary of the establishment of Nigeriaworld messageboard, we look at friends that have been made and views that have been expressed and we realized that we all are better off as a result. For many participants and observers, it the Nigerian Center where Nigerians and friends of Nigeria meet and exchange ideas. For some, it is a home away from home. For those who have ever stepped in there, there is no stepping out. It is addictive. Despite the limitations of the forum, there is no doubt that every voice counts and every word ever written on it makes an impact in the life of someone that the writer may not know. Participants may be bruised, and battered, but their contributions to our national discourse is one that posterity shall never forget. There is no better way of getting involved and keeping the discussion going. There is no better way of sharing the knowledge. And there is no better place to understand the Nigerian. The men and women who spear their time to participate on Nigerian Messageboards are my heroes of today.

Dr. Damages
Lynn, MA, USA