“While the rest of the country chases technology, innovation, and global connections, Ebonyi’s leadership seems to be writing a manual on how to stay primitive in the 21st century”
Ebonyi Says “Ban Social Media”—Because Ploughing is the Only Path to Progress
Leave it to Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State to remind Nigerians why some regions remain trapped in the past. In a plea to President Tinubu, Nwifuru suggested banning social media so that youths can “go into farming.” Yes, farming—the same activity humans have done for thousands of years, now presented as the ultimate solution to modern challenges.
One wonders if the people of Ebonyi realize that this thinking is what keeps them perpetually labeled as fifth-class citizens. While the rest of the country chases technology, innovation, and global connections, Ebonyi’s leadership seems to be writing a manual on how to stay primitive in the 21st century.
Social media is not a playground for idleness; it is where ideas flourish, businesses grow, and knowledge circulates. To ban it is to condemn a generation to ignorance in the name of “tradition.” Meanwhile, neighboring states are cultivating tech hubs and digital entrepreneurs, and Ebonyi wants to hand every youth a hoe.
Let’s be honest: agriculture is necessary, but it cannot and should not replace opportunity, education, and creativity. If Ebonyi’s youth follow this advice, the state will remain a cautionary tale of what happens when leadership confuses nostalgia with progress.
The truth is simple: staying primitive is a choice, but it should never be forced on the young. Nigerians cannot wait while Ebonyi’s leaders rewrite history in reverse. It is time for a reality check: farming is not a substitute for social media, and backward thinking is not a development plan.
