On April 14, 2014, around 276 female students were kidnapped from Chibok government secondary school in Northern Nigeria by Boko Haram extremist.
This led to an online campaign that trended for a very long time.Two years since the girls were kidnapped, the hashtag #BringBackOurGirls has recorded very little success.
In Kenya, the hashtag #IStandWithKDF trended after the January,16, 2016 when Kenya defence forces, KDF soldiers were killed by Al-Shabaab in Somalia.
This was followed by the hashtag #IStandWithMahawk to condemn the sh,shooting of the lion called Mahawk.
Nowadays, activists are quick to rant online with numerous hashtags while real activists are there on the streets.
Online activism has become just another source of entertainment and a platform where tribalists throw in their tribal insults.
Social media sites are awash with chains of hashtags.
From #SomeTellCNN, #Tembeakenya and recently #TearGasMonday.
Online activism is a way of escaping reality.
We should stop hiding our faces behind hashtags.