INFLUENCE OF NEW MEDIA IN PROMOTING SOCIAL JUSTICE AMONG NIGERIANS (A SURVEY OF OFFA RESIDENTS)

ABSTRACT This study examined the influence of new media in promoting social justice among Nigerians, using Offa community in Kwara State as the focus. This is due to the fact that the rapid proliferation of digital platforms like Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, Instagram, and YouTube have radically changed the trends in interpersonal communication, distribution of information, and mobilizing of civic support. This research was to establish the frequency of new media use among the people of Offe, the most common forms of social justice problems that are commonly discussed online and the power of these media in influencing the process of social change and policy reactions. The survey research design was used and an organized questionnaire was distributed to the chosen respondents in the society. The data derived were discussed and analyzed as per the research questions and objectives of the study. The results reveal that the new media plays an important role in increasing awareness of social justice issues, civic participation, and collective mobilization in youth and other members of the community. The police brutality, corruption, gender based violence, and violation of human rights were some of the issues that were found to feature prominently on the new media platforms. The research also revealed that despite the fact that the new media is paramount in ensuring social justice, the challenges such as misinformation, lack of digital literacy, lack of internet connectivity, and governmental restrictions hamper its full effect. It is concluded that the new media is a crucial tool to promote social justice advocacy in the Offa community and the research suggests the improvement of digital literacy, intensification of internet infrastructure, responsible online communication behaviors, and positive interaction with the government organizations. These results help to understand that digital technologies can affect grassroots social justice activism in Nigeria even better.