#‎PMBIghotago?‬, Nigeria's first online town hall meeting holds on Facebook

For the first time in the history of social media participation in Nigeria, an online townhall meeting was convened yesterday 2nd April 2016 on Facebook in what most have termed a peaceful online "National Conference".

This noble initiative was organized by Emeka Oparah, a Public Relations Expert and Airtel Nigeria’s Vice President, Corporate Communications & CSR. What sets this epoch making event apart is the fact that it was a convergence of both hailers, wailers and neutrals of the Buhari led administration who for once decided to sheath their swords and peacefully share their concerns, fears and opinions about the current government and also made suggestions as to strategies the government can adopt to create a better Nigeria.

In Emeka Oparah’s words, “This event serves as a feedback session for people to share their views, opinions and suggestions on the state of the nation. It’s also designed to review President Buhari's leadership one year after he won a hard-fought electoral contest against incumbent, Goodluck Jonathan, #PMBIghotago will herald a floodgate of similar town halls in the future with a mandate to encourage constructive criticism of government and generally offer useful feedback”.

Moderating the event was Taiwo Obe, veteran journalist, essayist and founder of the Journalism Clinic and CEO of Taijowonukabe.

The townhall meeting was spearheaded with the hashtag #PMBIghotago which in Igbo translates to ‪#‎PMBDoYouUnderstand‬". It is a question which seeks to know whether you understand the point the person speaking to you is making. Hopefully every opinion shared will filter back to the right quarters and just as the hastag suggests, the President and his Cabinet would read and understand.