Abiodun Badejo: BlackBerry Smartphones: Blessing not Curse

Technology advancement is a crucial point of development in any country in the world. Nigeria as a developing country is yet to witness much advancement in technology.

Gratefully, today we have Global System of Mobile Communication (GSM) in Nigeria, all thanks to the Obasanjo/ Atiku’s regime.

The new millennium which saw Obasanjo’s administration ushered in that remarkable development of mobile phones in Nigeria, it was a major effort that liberated Nigerians from the NITEL “palava” and opened our eyes as a civilized Nation.

That development went on and on till it opened our various eyes to a more developed and popularly acceptable means of communication and data services.

The use of Blackberry in Nigeria was earlier condemned or better still argued to be alien by a prolific writer of the “Dailypost”, Adoyi Ali, in this piece I would like to emphasis the pro and con of usage and users of Blackberry smart phones in Nigeria.

I will like to quickly say that Nigeria is a nation that accepts developments to the extreme. While going through Ali’s write up, I stumbled on the first paragraph which was devoted to the opinion of one of the prolific writers, Rita Okoye, which believes and opinions were hinged on the abuse of blackberry by ladies.

Truthfully, it is no more news or strange happenings to see Nigerian men and women abusing such avenue. The social networks have been polluted with immoral acts by our country’s people.

Thinking about this, one would but wonders why Nigerians are always on the wrong use of any tangible development.

The smart phone is invented for advance use by the people.

Blackberry is a line of Smartphone devices developed and designed by Research in Motion (RIM)

The evolution of the BlackBerry came from three key elements: a network, a device, and special secret software sauce that connected the two. Let’s talk about each of these and see how they contributed to the little Smartphone that we all now love.

The beginning of the end of the separate data-only networks was when United Parcel Service introduced its own wireless signature pad tracking devices. They needed a device that could connect anywhere, and while the data-only networks had decent coverage, the cellular voice networks had better coverage. That was one of the first big sales of wireless data. The other spike that killed off data-only networks was the cellular voice networks getting lots of capital improvements and getting faster through to handle data conversations

Blackberry usages are very essential to the connections of day to day activities; it is an advancement of the popular Laptops that we all carry about.

The smart phone is an indispensable item for a media man who needs to send reports from time to time.

Often we say the world is a global village, but the blackberry smart phones have turned the world into a ‘global city”.

We cannot continue to identify the poor understanding of our people to the rightful use of the recognized smart phone.

According to Ali’s write up, he opines that most Nigerian values the smart phone to their domestic activities, for instance, some of them value to buy the BIS charges to putting food on the table and looking after their primary responsibilities.

Honestly, this is right in all facets as investigations have proved this to be true beyond reasonable doubts.

More importantly, consideration should be taken for those who use this device for their day to day activities.

While speaking to people on the use of this device, Mr. Akinyemi Moses maintained that his Blackberry has been a saving rock for the successful completion of his assignments.

He said since the blackberry is a mobile device which has all the features of a computer or laptop, visiting a Café or using the laptop which is mostly not conveniently move around is not needed.

From other observers whom have been into the Blackberry user‘s group, the phone is a welcome development in the Country.

To the issue of the effect on financial responsibilities, it is worthy of note to say that the use of the smart phone does not necessarily affect one’s financial capacity.

A monthly Blackberry Internet service (BIS), cost N3000 with 17kobo/sec on-net rates; valid for one month.

Weekly blackberry Internet Service (BBWEEK), cost N1000, valid for one week, quarterly Blackberry Internet service (BBQ), cost N8000 with 17kobo/ sec on –net valid for three months and monthly Blackberry complete service (BBC) cost N1500 while the weekly complete service cost N500.

Based on the financial requirement to access the blackberry services, I want to believe that it has been made easier to individual to choose which service to subscribe to based on his or her financial capacity.

Another angle to this is the importance of the phone to every person, frantically, not everyone who uses the device knows the importance and best usage of it.

For instance, a student does not need to base his blackberry on pinging and accessing face book, twitter and badoo alone, it is a good avenue to find solutions to assignments, search materials for projects, learn more on courses and even access available scholarship on –line.

Another thing is the update of information; one could get himself/herself updated on happenings around the world and check newspaper news and news items conveniently.

Banning Blackberry smart phone in Nigeria will surely make an element of ridicule in other advanced Nations; moreover, there are other internet devices that can do the job of a Blackberry conveniently.

There are other various vibrant chats applications that operate like blackberry, though without sharing of Pins which is on other mobile phones.

Face book chat, twitter, 2go and a host of others are avenues of communication to perpetrate whatever evil one wants to perpetrate on Blackberry.

“Galaxy phones”, “HTC”, “Hi- phone and the rest is capable of causing any distraction or accidents a Blackberry can cause.

It will be totally unfair to blame the wrong use of the phone by our people on the existence of the mobile device. It should be noted that the phone has been in existence in advance countries since earlier 2000.

In Nigeria, the attitude of our people is more important in shaping opinions towards any technological advancement.

If people share nude pictures and masturbate through blackberry, the popular laptop is all encompassing with this noted features too, on ones laptop, you can watch pornographic, share nude pictures and do all kind of immoral things.

It is worthy of note that Nigeria society is filled with moral decadent.

The recent inciting supposed Boko Haram attacks, which was sent to some blackberry users does not make the device a wrongful  one as such messages are posted on face book, twitters and other social network.

In fact, my ageing father who does not use a blackberry receives such messages via sms.

I would rather blame this phenomenon on the already decadent society our country has metamorphosed into and not technology advancement.

If the argument is the immorality Nigerians commit on internet through Blackberry, then we are saying Nigeria is not matured for internet accessibility.

In all aspect of the  man’s dealing, especially when it comes to technology advancement, a proper orientation is always needed and that is what our country’s men and women require. We need a right attitude towards the use of the device. Like the popular saying, blame the players and not the game.