Imagine for a moment you’re at home, having a good time, hanging out with some friends.  Everyone’s doing something different. Some are watching a movie. Others are crowded around the computer, browsing people’s Facebook pages. Someone’s in the kitchen putting drinks in the fridge and another person is busy trying to find a place to plug their phone.  Suddenly the entire house goes pitch black. Electricity. gone.

If you’re lucky, the generators kick on within minutes.  If not, fun’s over pretty much.

If stuff like this happened in the States, people would probably riot.  Straight up go crazy. Remember all the anxiety about  Y2k?  People buying out grocery stores and preparing for the worst? All that over two digits. Imagine if  electricity simply went out across the country for say, 30 minutes.  Pandemonium would ensue.

Nigeria, on the other hand, deals with multiple electrical disturbances daily.

Aside from the fact that it doesn’t really make sense that West Africa’s “giant” cannot seem to master the art of consistent electricity, also troubling is that smaller, seemingly less sophisticated African countries have. So what’s up with Naija?

Although papers have probably been written about the ineffectiveness of PHCN (formally known as NEPA), the conversation has taken a new turn.  What do people who are fed up with the status quo and demand change do in this grand age of technology? They take their grievances to Twitter.  (quick aside – It’s probably safe to name the whole use-Twitter-to-mobilize trend – “Protest 2.0.” From sit-ins & marches to minute by minute tweet updates from all over the world. It fits, no?)

A campaign has gained momentum on the popular social media tool, via the hashtag: #lightupnigeria.  People from all over are offering their support and reasons why Nigeria ought to be lit up.

Tweet responses have ranged from funny (#lightupnigeria so people can see the flyness that is my hair) to wise (#lightupnigeria so Nigeria’s future doesn’t have to live in the dark.)

Snapshot’s from Wednesday evening’s convo:

Fresh from a trip to Ekiti last week and having the chance to objectively observe, it’s like the constant power outages and the noise of generators have become part of life for everyone, filed under the “This Is Africa,” these-kinds-of-things-come-with-the-territory mentality.  But thinking in terms of development and the economic ramifications of a country running mainly on generators, one cannot help but wonder: The instability of electricity alone, is enough of an obstacle to make entrepreneurs and investors think twice about operating ventures in the country.  What does that do to the Nigerian economy? And how do those effects spill out on the people?  They’ve got to be adversely affected, no?

Economics aside, as the Light Up Nigeria campaign continues to grow (there is now a Facebook group with over 14,000 members dedicated to the cause and a website with the cause manifesto), a thought continues to nag me. Those who can probably fix the problem, aren’t on Twitter or Facebook.

An initial response would be: Who cares?! It doesn’t really matter if they aren’t on the networks. Mobilization is mobilization.  If enough people get organized and vocal, things happen!

…Right?

Weigh In – What do you think? Is the Light Up Nigeria movement a nice attempt but probably futile? Or do you think if many people shout loud enough, key influencers will take notice?