MEET FRANK OSHANUGOR
By Frank Oshanugor
A new global social media platform with Africa as its center-piece has been launched in Lagos, with its promoters promising to change the narrative with respect to the shortcomings inherent in the already existing social networks.
The one-day event which took place in one of the multi-purpose halls at the University of Lagos, Akoka Lagos brought to the horizon the determination of some concerned Africans in the Diaspora and their like-minded non-Africa collaborators to advance the course of the African continent in a seamless manner that would make the continent take a pride of place in the global social media space.
Speaking at the launch of the network platform, AFREE coordinator in Nigeria and visiting lecturer at the University of Lagos, Dr. Joshua Orabiyi, said the creation of AFREE was a response to the total censorship of existing social networks and media, especially during the COVID-19 epidemic. “We also wanted to help people who want to learn, develop and create businesses, but do not have the opportunity to do so” he added.
According to him, many African social networks have failed because they did not provide real value. “AFREE proposes to improve the financial situation of users by monetising within the App. Part of the advertising revenue will be used to support small and medium size businesses within the App and the AFE coins received can be used for advertising campaigns and the purchase of training materials” he said.
The acronym AFREE which stands for Assist, Finance, Reward, Empower and Educate is described as unique from other social networks because of its focus on people’s benefit. The application provides an independent platform for information and expression without the risk of censorship. “We also help users become more independent and financially literate. All the necessary functions – watching videos, sending messages, making calls and advertising are combined in one application.”
AFREE provides a web platform and application for creating profiles, adding friends, publishing and sharing content, interacting with it (likes, comments, reposts) participating in chats and groups, and making video calls. Algorithms are used to personalise content according to interests and to monetize the viewing and creation of content. In addition, AFREE provides a mechanism to launch advertising campaigns for businesses and freelancers.
Historically, the concept of AFREE was birthed in 2019 when the founders met in an online game before the COVID-19 epidemic. They continued to communicate without knowing each other’s real identities and came together due to similar principles and understanding of total censorship in social networks and media.
In April 2020, they decided to create AFREE, an App where everyone could express his point of view. They developed the terms of reference but were faced with lack of money. It was revealed that the parents of one of the creators offered to lend the initial capital on the condition that part of the revenue would be used to help people in Africa. After gathering a team of freelancers and a few other investors, the project was launched.
According to the creators, AFREE has taken care of the shortcomings in Tik Tok, Facebook and other Apps. AFREE has been designed in a way that every three months, upgrade takes place and this, according to the creators will help to boost the efficiency of the system.
A senior lecturer at the Yaba College of Technology, Lagos and one of the speakers at the event Dr. Tope Alakija noted that social media’s impact has both positive and negative aspects. According to her, the negative impact include a life of comparison that hinges on fakeness that breeds inadequacy and low self esteem.
The negative aspects also include cyber bullying, addiction/validation, body image issues and so on. On the positive side, Alakija said social media allows for self expression, access to information for self development, connection with like-minded people, building of relationship, enhancement of creativity and many more.
Speaking on how to mitigate the health related disorder associated with the social media, Dr. Tolu Ajomale, Director, Lagos Mental Health Desk,
Lagos State Ministry of Health represented by Miss Ejiro-Oghene Paul, at the AFREE launch, observed that many social media users have the tendency to abuse its usage.
Ejiro-Oghene, speaking further on behalf of the Director, advised that users should not spend all their time on social media, thereby neglecting other essentials that would help them live a healthy and balanced life. Hours devoted for unimportant use of the social media can be used for physical exercise or skill enhancement that adds value, she said.
Leveraging on what have been described as the negative impacts of the social media, she advised that users should avoid getting addicted to it as wrongful comparison (fake life) can easily lead to depression, low self esteem and so.
As part of the social network launch, students and other guests were taken on random quiz that gave no fewer than 20 participants brand new phones as prizes for excelling in the quiz.
