Under Construction - Issue 8 Volume 1 | Page 56

and tactics , and interface with supporters to fashion a sense of audience , community and solidarity 16 .
This paper looks at how social media has impacted and reshaped feminist activism in Nigeria , exploring the possibilities of digital mobilisations in changing the course of feminist movements in the country , specifically exploring how Twitter has increased female participation and influenced feminist demands for change in the West African country .
Social Media Case Studies of Feminist Campaigns Feminist campaigns in Nigeria have been gaining ground as the power of social media is increasingly utilised to track and monitor gender issues , mobilise support and pressurise leadership . Several hashtag campaigns such as # ArewaMeToo , # JusticeForBamise and # BringBackOurGirls , have shown how voices can speak louder with the help of social media .
# ArewaMeToo , which started in 2018 , became a vehicle for activism in northern Nigeria to reverse a seemingly intractable situation of silence and taboo around sexual harassment and violence , particularly in the region that has , historically , been a bastion of conservative societies 17 ’ 18 . The hashtag provided a safe space women to share their experiences , demand denunciation of silence and advocate systemic changes 19 . The campaign was perceived to be successful as it forced a national media spotlight on the campaign and offline demonstrations 26 . Notwithstanding its achievements , # ArewaMeToo faced strong institutional resistance as power institutions have criticised and opposed nonviolent demonstrations and marches 20 .
The # JusticeForBamise ( a reference to Bamise Ayanwole , a young Nigerian woman who was abducted and killed in 2022 ) went viral following the kidnap and murder of the young woman , becoming a social media campaign to demand justice for Bamise and to amplify the call for the safety of women in Nigeria 21 . The case of Bamise was widely circulated through
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