From court documents, election result sheets and financial transactions to complex contracts and long budgets, Nigerians often have a hard time interpreting government documents, legal proceedings, financial decisions and policies. So there is a general apathy towards reading and understanding them.
The consequence of this apathy is the citizenry’s lack of awareness regarding matters that greatly concern them. These critical issues end up not being discussed on the scale that they should be. This, however, is to the advantage of the ruling class as they escape calls for accountability by the masses.
Bello Galadanchi, also known as Dan Bello, a satirical video creator on social media, is turning the spotlight on critical problems with a unique blend of humour and critique. Through his entertaining, yet educative content, he is creating a growing sense of enlightenment with regard to matters that concern the general public.
Amidst the hardship in Nigeria that seems to get worse by the day, the political class continues to live lavishly while showing no empathy towards most Nigerians who are going through (arguably) the worst period of their lives.
The government continues to spend money on frivolities and enact policies and laws that either contribute nothing to the lives of Nigerians, or make their lives harder. Bello Galadanchi analyses these things layer by layer while still managing to give his audience a good laugh.
One of the most widely read pieces of satirical art is ‘Animal Farm’, written by British author George Orwell in 1945. As a strong critic of the abuse of power by the leaders of Soviet Russia, Orwell used allegorical satire to mirror historical figures and events. By setting the story on a farm, he simplified complex political dynamics by attributing the characters of political figures to various farm animals.
Additionally, the rise of mass media has led to an influx of satirical comedy as a popular genre in film and TV – even news. Shows like ‘The Daily Show’, previously hosted by South African comedian, Trevor Noah, have incorporated humour while discussing serious issues. This is not done simply to mock, but to pass messages across to the audience in a way that will make them understand, relate and remember.
One notable example of Trevor Noah’s satire on The ‘Daily Show’ was his commentary on the 2016 presidential election in America. He humorously analysed Donald Trump’s controversial comments and actions and debunked certain false and obscene statements that he made during his rallies. By blending humour with compelling facts, Trevor Noah was able to entertain Americans while educating them about the political climate of the country.
Dan Bello does the same. In his skits where he subtly, yet accurately imitates the style of dress of the people he is portraying – the audience always knows who he is referring to even when he does not name names – he uses satire to break down complex issues regarding corruption, economic hardship, and social vices into easily digestible videos. By making his videos very simple, humorous and straight to the point, his messages speak to everyone, regardless of their educational background. Although Bello’s skits are made in Hausa, he adds English subtitles so that everyone can be carried along.
There have been concerns by fans of Dan Bello that the people who need to see his political commentary are not able to because they probably do not have phones or have limited internet access. It is true that the rural north is rather poor, but many people still find ways to use social media.
Contrary to the former vice president, Atiku Abubakar’s 2022 comment stating that “90 per cent of northerners are not on social media”, a report by the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics (NBS) titled “Telecoms Data: Active Voice and Internet per State” shows that the northern states account for 68,531,602 of the population of internet subscribers in the country. North Central records 27,476,820 internet subscribers, while North West records 26,912,492 internet subscribers. North East, which had the lowest subscribers in the region, records 14,142,290 internet subscribers. In total, 56 per cent of the entire Northern region’s population in the country subscribes to the internet. Internet penetration could be improved, but 56 per cent is not a bad number.
With his work, Bello Galadanchi is awakening a new form of socio-political consciousness that is inspiring Nigerians, especially those from the North, to question the status quo. This consciousness is very much needed because Nigerians cannot continue to be uninvolved in the dealings of the ruling class as our lives depend on their actions.
In recent months, Dan Bello has garnered a large audience of Nigerians who look to him to address socio-political issues that they might know about in passing but still do not understand very well.
When he started to put out his videos, Bello was a bit more ambiguous, but now he mentions names and has a much bolder approach to his cause.
I think that Bello’s work is very critical to public discourse in the North because he makes it easy for northerners to see and understand the ills of the society in a way that they have never seen before. He is perhaps the most brilliant political commentator from northern Nigeria today. His satire makes it easy to reach even the least educated people, yet it is still very relatable to the more educated.
His ability to sensitise people on what is really going on is something that the North has been lacking for a while. It is difficult for people, especially those from the older generations, to come to terms with the fact that social media can be used to create change – be it monumental or minor. However, as Dan Bello’s audience on social media grows, so will the consciousness. The tolerance for bad governance and corruption on the other hand will decrease. Nigerians cannot continue to be kept in the dark and taken for granted.
Zainab Muhammad is a Mass Communication student at Pan Atlantic University, Lagos
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