By Kemi Yesufu
Dr. Omoniyi Ibietan, Head, Media Relations Management at the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), received a fresh round of commendations at the public reading and review of his seminal work, Cyber Politics: Social Media, Social Demography and Voting Behaviour in Nigeria, held at the University of Ibadan on Friday April 19.
Leading in praise for the book, Dr. Aminu Maida, Executive Vice Chairman/CEO NCC, described it as groundbreaking.
He said: “Dr. Ibietan’s path-breaking book, Cyber Politics: Social Media, Social Demography, and Voting Behaviour in Nigeria, broaches a radical new territory in bridging psephology (i.e. the study of elections) and communications scholarship through an examination of the interface between social media networks and voting behaviour in the country. It draws its insights from a deeply methodical study of Nigeria’s 2015 presidential election, unearthing the intersections of social and demographic factors, digital social mediation and the remarkable impact of these variables on the voting behaviour of the electorate.
“It is worthy of note that the referenced national polling presented one of the most significant evidence of how social media use can shape the course of an election, having the then political opposition gaining huge mileage from its ability to deploy social media platforms towards shaping and controlling public debates, and hence triumphing at the ballot.
“These days, the preponderance of data more easily reveals the impact of social media on political engagement and elections, both in emergent and evolved democracies. It requires little clairvoyance that with the spike in upheavals instigated by economic dysfunctions across the world, social media will certainly play more consequential roles in driving electoral choices going forward”.
Maida further described Ibietan’s book as a commendable contribution to the study of elections and the undeniable influence and impact of social media on electoral outcomes.
He added: “Dr. Ibietan’s book speaks to the reality of how the demographics of voting is now in favour of digital natives, whose engagements are set to upend the traditional media approaches, hence the great value in seeking an understanding of the growing interface across cyber politics, social media networks and social demography. Specifically, the author utilises tested theoretical models and research methods to scrutinise the impact of social media on contemporary politics.
“Most significantly, the cutting edge of this vibrant scholarly endeavour is its proposal of a bold new methodology and approach to communications, described as the Channel-Factor Model, which situates the relationship among social media and other variables within a political environment. It is a framework for re-engineering political communication in Africa that is as radical as it is innovative.
“Cyber Politics: Social Media, Social Demography and Voting Behaviour in Nigeria is an absorbing and persuasive book that adds huge insightful value to an understanding of the interactions between politics, social media networks and other variables that influence the behaviour of voters in a democracy. Therefore, we particularly appreciate Dr. Omoniyi Ibietan, a staff of the Nigerian Communications Commission, for this contribution to political communication scholarship”.
On his part, Umaru A. Pate, professor of Media and Society and president, Association of Communication Scholars and Professionals of Nigeria (ACSPN) hailed Ibietan’s book as a worthy contribution to the field of communications and emerging electoral trends.
He said: “As an active member of the ACSPN, I am glad that he is in the frontline of promoting some of the Association’s objectives of promoting innovative communication education through publications and other knowledge sharing platforms.
“Without a doubt, the academic community and communication scholarship require a deeper understanding of the evolving trend, influence, and impact of cyber politics in the country. I am glad Dr. Ibietan has been able to undertake intensive and extensive research in the area. Happily, the study has been transformed into a textbook for wider circulation”.
“A cursory reading of the book indicates that the author has been able to achieve the objectives of contributing to the conceptual and empirical dimensions of the subject in the context of political communication.
“Personally, I am enriched by the arguments and conclusions in the book. The book has increased my understanding of the relationship between the ever-growing social media and politics in the country. This is very important for obvious reasons, some of which relate to the popularity and influence of the new media, particularly among the most active components of the population.
“While welcoming the book as a positive addition to the growing body of literature in the area especially as it gives the Nigerian context, I am strongly recommending it as a worthy book for all students of communication studies, political science and allied fields. Our political tacticians and gladiators and other scholars of the interface between society and information and communication technologies will find the text appropriate and generously useful in helping them to deeply understand the strategies and impact of the social media in Nigerian politics”, Pate added.
Prof. Peter Esuh, the Dean Faculty of Communication and Media Studies, University of Uyo, also recommended the book to researchers and readers alike, saying: “Dr. Omoniyi Ibietan’s book Cyber Politics: Social Media, Social Demography, and Voting Behaviour stands out among the numerous publications on strategic communication in contemporary times. It offers a scholarly exploration of how social media platforms shape electoral behaviour in the intricate Nigerian electoral landscape. This book is a significant addition to the ongoing discourse on the influence of technological advancements on societal progress.
“The book proposes the Channel-Factor Model of Communication. This model articulates the key influences and variables that impact effective communication in a political and socio-economic environment. The book clarifies the role of changing population dynamics in the developed and developing world and its implications for social media utilization in bringing about political change. These demographic trends’ impact on society and adopting new and innovative technologies imply broader political, social, and economic imperatives for all nation-states”.
“It is well-known that technological innovation redesigns the global geopolitical and socio-economic landscape while enabling unfettered access to information and possibilities in real-time. While the internet and, by extension, communication platforms have provided the foundation for most of these possibilities, it is essential to be conscious of the potential impact of other emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Augmented Reality (AR), Internet of Things (IoT), Robotics, Big Data, Block Chain and Advanced Analytics on societal trends. Important foundational lessons can be learned from the impact of social media on societal outcomes, as demonstrated by Dr. Ibietan’s book.
“The author, Dr. Omoniyi Ibietan, is a renowned scholar known for his intellectual prowess and activism. His work has consistently been commendable, and this notable Book of Reading is a testament to his innovative thinking and scholarly contributions. The book is wholeheartedly endorsed for reading”, Esuh added.
Cyber Politics: Social Media, Social Demography, and Voting Behaviour was first presented to the public in Abuja on Tuesday 25 July 2023, with Editor-in-Chief of Leadership, Mr. Azubuike Ishiekwene, as the book reviewer.
The much –respected columnist’s position hasn’t changed as he again dissected the 460-page book which is divided into 12 chapters, concluding that though it is a product of well-presented research, its soft language makes it readable, for anyone seeking knowledge on Nigeria’s cyber culture, its demographics, elections and voting behavior.
According to him, the book’s strength lies in its relevance to Nigeria.
He noted: “In parts of Cyber Politics, but in far greater detail in Chapters One, Five and Six, the author not only examines earlier studies on the impact of social factors, including peer, opinion leader and family influences on voter behaviour, he also sets out the broad objectives of the book, raising issues that are both specific and contemporaneous in value.
“In other words, instead of leaving the reader wondering what happened on the streets of North Carolina in Lazarsfeld’s studies decades ago and how that affects him in Gwagwalada, Abuja, Cyber Politics uses Nigeria’s 2015 general elections as anchor.
“It explores, among other things, the question of whether political conversations amongst Nigeria’s estimated 33 million active social media users, especially the influencers as of 2021 had any significant impact on the outcome of the 2015 election…
“Cyber Politics helps me as a voter to ponder if the social networks I belong to or the influencers I follow have any potential effects on my political behaviour either in terms of mobilisation or my actual voting decisions. Sometimes we think we’re our own man, until we realise, like Pavlov’s dog, that someone somewhere might be pulling the strings.”
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