THE “DEATH” OF K-ONLINE: THE POSSIBLE CAUSE(S) AND THE CULPRIT(S)

[Abdalla]

Jama'a, Sallama

I decided to come in to help poor embattled Salisu who seems to be facing fire from all fronts!
It is interesting that we are debating the future of KanoOnline, especially as when we started it in 2001 we did not anticipate the kind of future it had. KanoOnline was basically a combination of desire to "fight back" at the bad Internet press Kano was getting in 2001, and especially during the Shari'a implementation process;  and provision of more structured, if somewhat less academic depository on Kano for researchers outside Kano. We did not anticipate a "chat forum" and initially focused attention on paper, presentations and information about books on Kano. Indeed we had such a grand plan that we even took our proposal for full-pledged site to the Government of Kano in about 2002. We were promised assistance and all sorts of assurances, but none was forthcoming. Kano Forum (Inuwar Jama'ar Kano) did provide financial assistance which was to go towards part upkeep of the site, as well as pay for a series of academic papers to be written about Kano. We commissioned academic experts, but for over five years, we could not get enough of the papers. Further, the main co-ordinator of the program, Mal. Ibrahim Ado Kurawa got involved in politics and became extremely difficult to contact, at least on matters concerning KanoOnline. Happily, though, we are hopeful that a book will be published early this year inspired by KanoOnline initiative of about six years ago.

Our main focus remained providing academic information about Kano (where we encourage academic faculty in all Tertiary institutions in Kano to provide us with their papers). Pressures and requests made us add the "General Board" .  And so the chats began. Over the last few years the Board has grown into an organic whole and created a massive closely-knit online community that makes us feel very proud. We have made it possible to gather many people from different parts of the world together into one community. We even managed to link someone with his family in Kano!

While the Board remained easily the most popular borough of the site, it is inevitable that it often becomes heated with debates that attract opposing views. We (the administrators of the site) do not generally wish to engage in political or religious debates. That does not mean we don't have political or religious views – we do. However, issues of politics and religion are rarely a matter of right and wrong; they are perspectives and beliefs, and it is quite pointless to try to defend one view over the other. In Islam, for instance, you either believe, or you don't. It would appear that many of the  topics with Islamic slant were deliberately introduced to provoke Muslims and we studiously avoided either directly participating, or when it gets heated, we simply delete the post and if insults were hurled one way or the other, we ban the poster.  People from Kano, who in their natural habitats, rarely come across your average non-Muslim, and therefore are not used to interfaith debates; they have enough between Tijjaniyya, Qadiriyya, Izala, Sunni, Salafis and Shia to occupy them. And whether the Qur'an is the answer or not (@Dave) is not the issue. The fact is people have religious faith and they believe. A person has every right not to believe, as much as another person has every right to believe. Standing on the high moral ground by both those who believe and those who don't believe is what we wanted to avoid in the forum by discouraging religious discourse in the open forum – thus a forum for it; which I suspect many of the posters with "heavy attitudes" don't probably frequent, making it necessary or the agent provocateurs to come to the general board.

Again I emphasize that our initial idea was to make KanoOnline an information depository about Kano – nothing more, nothing less. I in fact opposed the idea of the General Board and the chats totally (I am the shy silent type!). But we forged ahead and here we are now – discontented. There are three factors that lead to this "comatose" state of the site.

First, and most important, the increasing availability of alternative social networking sites (Facebook, Hi5, Badoo and a zillion others which I detest as I don't belong to any, and I hate being invited to join any). These have succeeded in drawing away a lot of people (and I would venture to say, the younger elements, as the ones who remain are the old codgers!) This effect is across the Internet. I administer about five Yahoo! Groups communities and we noticed the same effect from three years back.  These alternative social networks provide more bang for the buck, with lots of fizz; at least people tend to meet those closer to their ages and tastes (Beyonce and Snoop Dogg anyone?).  I even know of a couple who almost got married simply from having met at Hi5. Mercifully the marriage did not take place – they have never actually seen other, and each has an ulterior motive for the union!

Second, the strict monitoring of this site to avoid "contentious" topics – such as the mainly inflammatory religious posts usually from non-Muslims who are bent on provoking Muslims. This has a tendency to put people off – either way; and consequently reduce patronage. Further, latter entrants to the Board, raised on the solid fare of Facebook mentality find the regulation difficult to deal with – so they either leave, or gripe.

Third, restricting membership (@gogannaka). As Salisu explained, we are too prone to attacks by hackers and spammers advertising all sorts of junk. Why would we be hacked? It Is not that we share some secret documents or recipes! Perhaps our high ranking in Google means we are victims of random attack of the first on the list? In any event, we simply can't afford to allow these retards to spoil what has been a clean site. Those with more honorable intentions are of course welcome to apply and get admitted – a practice that is common on millions of boards across the Internet.  But as Salisu said, if there is any volunteer out there ready to spend 24/7 on Internet monitoring traffic to the site, we would appreciate it.

I have heard so much "northern-bashing" (@Muhsin). We have been called all sorts of names – lazy, ignorant, dirty,  illiterate, no-focus, etc. And by fellow northerners. Been there, done that. I have been hearing this for the last 40 years. I am not bothered anymore.  The "Naija" sites may be administered and visited by super-intelligent beings who hold the keys to happiness and prosperity, and issue free One Terrabtye iPhones to every one millionth post; as far as I am concerned, they can all shove it. I have been to the sites. Shallow, inward looking, guttersnipe, trailer-trash kind of mentality. Thanks, but no thanks. They are good if you want to improve on your pidgin English, reduce your IQ and acquire more "northern-bashing" cudgels. More talk about corruption, Niger Delta, "northern fanatics and fundamentalists",  etc etc. Talking loud and saying nothing, really. But then that's the beauty of diversity and choice. As Salisu said, people are free to pick and mix (Woolworth's anyone?) their choices. Some sites have it all, others have none. The choice is yours.  Incidentally, there are other Arewa-theme sites (e.g. ArewaOnline); so it is not as if KanoOnline is the only one.

Probably part of the "death knell" of the site is the issue of the Get Together. This has evoked so much debate this time – and less than the usual animated responses, such that it makes quite a few people sad (annoyed?).  The lack of response, in my view, was not because of lack of interest, but simply pre-occupation. Dan Borno, a prime mover, was away on the Hajj. Salisu and I can't do much because we are simple spectators, rather than prime movers.

However, based on my experience  with Yahoo! Groups, the very act of an online community getting together is itself an anomaly. Online communities work precisely because they are invisible. That is in fact why many onliners refuse to identify their real names, or post their actual pictures – giving themselves readily available handles and avatars. The spatial nature of the locations of various members makes it difficult to decide on a central location for meetings. In the Yahoo! Groups we came up with the idea of "local chapters", especially when members from Katsina insisted that one of the Sallah meetings should be held in Katsina. We thought that was good – but who'd take care of the logistics both in Katsina and from where people are coming from. The online communities are not prescription-based communities, so there are no "annual dues" or membership fees; thus no petty cash to do these kinds of things. So a local chapter is the best way for people within the same locality to get together, identify each other and form sharing networks at the local level. The Gizago Club of Aminiya newspaper (Kano, Nigeria) is an excellent example of this. The club started as a satire in the center pages of the newspaper – and within two years had developed a vast network of state-based clusters that meet every now and then and discuss issues of common interest. So it can be done, and has indeed been done; but at a different strategy level.

Thus meetings at level being suggested require an enormous amount of time (and resources) and I applaud those who take it upon themselves to organize such.

KanoOnline is a home to many people. Many others also benefit from its existence. We will therefore keep it going for as long as it is possible.  To be frank, we discussed recently the possibility of closing the Board down and going back to the original website as a depository with PDF links to various (possibly boring) papers on Kano and cultural ethnography. This is not because of what people say, but because of the daily grind involved in maintaining the site, as well as trying to keep the body and soul together. After many hours of discussion, we decided to continue as we are. We hope that people understand and appreciate that we cannot force them to be "lively" if they have other places to be more lively. We are not competing with those places – the Naija sites, Facebook sites, etc – for each of us has something to offer, and the combination of variety makes your life easier.  We don't want to project an image of dour sourpusses; but at the same time we welcome suggestions on how to improve things – remembering that this is YOUR forum, not ours.

If you have skimmed the posting to read this last bit, apologies for the long post – but please go back to the beginning and read it, as it explains so much!

Thank you for your understanding.

Abdalla

[Muhsin]

Salam,

Oh my goodness!

Had I knew my thread would cause the hubbubs it has I would not have even started it from the beginning; and not because I cannot withstand it except I cannot face the criticizers. Period. Wallahi I have no intention to hot the feeling of anyone here in whatsoever way. I am sure not everyone even among the forum's administrators wants this forum to move forward as much as I do--I wish I could get rid of that. Remember I am the tiniest fish here. . .how can I dare?

I opened this board, earlier today, with (good) intention to make replies here and there, especially to this OP as I promised yesterday. But, sincerely speaking Prof's above reply enfeebled me to. There is seemingly some chasms and gaps between what I meant to say and what is perceived of it. Bitterly enough, the failure is mine as I can't express myself that coherently to be understood. Poor me.

That beside, please whoever feels that way felt by the Prof and probably the Admin, should forgive me. I rest my case. Buried. Forgotten.

On another note, I greatly enjoy Nairaland. My records are there for everyone to read. I wholly believe some can be that succumbed, as rightly said Professor, but I AM an exception. I am not that susceptible. I invincibly and indefatigably fight back; I have, thanks to Allah, won many "battles" there. Thats why they even crowned me Poster of the Year! :)

Thanks to you, Professor Abdullah and all other K-Onliners. You remain my mentors.

Muhsin

[gogannaka]

I have heard so much "northern-bashing" (@Muhsin). We have been called all sorts of names – lazy, ignorant, dirty,  illiterate, no-focus, etc. And by fellow northerners. Been there, done that. I have been hearing this for the last 40 years. I am not bothered anymore.  The "Naija" sites may be administered and visited by super-intelligent beings who hold the keys to happiness and prosperity, and issue free One Terrabtye iPhones to every one millionth post; as far as I am concerned, they can all shove it. I have been to the sites. Shallow, inward looking, guttersnipe, trailer-trash kind of mentality. Thanks, but no thanks. They are good if you want to improve on your pidgin English, reduce your IQ and acquire more "northern-bashing" cudgels. More talk about corruption, Niger Delta, "northern fanatics and fundamentalists",  etc etc. Talking loud and saying nothing, really. But then that's the beauty of diversity and choice.

Nice one prof.
I should post it on nairaland.
That is the most accurate description of their kind of sites.

Thanks for the clarification,it explains alot.
Muhsin sometimes you overdo this humbleness issue so much that it starts sounding like izgili.
Please just be yourself. You don't have to relegate yoourself so low.

[David_McEwan_Hill]

Please do not close the forum.

Perhaps vital topics can be introduced by Kano Online to encourage response.
These topic should be social and political and invite people to put forward their ideas of how the many problems of Nigeria and the north of Nigerian can be fixed.

Always room for Make me Laugh, however, though I have been csaned on several occassions for posting rude jokes

[Dan-Borno]

@ farfesa, Allah ya ja zamanin mahadi mai dogon rai.
abin da babba ya hango, ko goron dutse yaro ya hau
bazai iya hangowa ba.  mun gode da nasiha kuma mun
fahimci inda aka dosa.

Allah sa a gama da duniya lafiya.

[Muhsin]

Muhsin sometimes you overdo this humbleness issue so much that it starts sounding like izgili.
Please just be yourself. You don't have to relegate yoourself so low.

GGNK,

Please can you elaborate? Wallahi I have been confused for the past hours trying to fathom what you really mean. Can't put up the words and their meaning. Thanks

[bakangizo]

Jama'a, Sallama

First, and most important, the increasing availability of alternative social networking sites (Facebook, Hi5, Badoo and a zillion others which I detest as I don't belong to any, and I hate being invited to join any). These have succeeded in drawing away a lot of people (and I would venture to say, the younger elements, as the ones who remain are the old codgers!) This effect is across the Internet. I administer about five Yahoo! Groups communities and we noticed the same effect from three years back.  These alternative social networks provide more bang for the buck, with lots of fizz; at least people tend to meet those closer to their ages and tastes (Beyonce and Snoop Dogg anyone?).  I even know of a couple who almost got married simply from having met at Hi5. Mercifully the marriage did not take place – they have never actually seen other, and each has an ulterior motive for the union!

I have heard so much "northern-bashing" (@Muhsin). We have been called all sorts of names – lazy, ignorant, dirty,  illiterate, no-focus, etc. And by fellow northerners. Been there, done that. I have been hearing this for the last 40 years. I am not bothered anymore.  The "Naija" sites may be administered and visited by super-intelligent beings who hold the keys to happiness and prosperity, and issue free One Terrabtye iPhones to every one millionth post; as far as I am concerned, they can all shove it. I have been to the sites. Shallow, inward looking, guttersnipe, trailer-trash kind of mentality. Thanks, but no thanks. They are good if you want to improve on your pidgin English, reduce your IQ and acquire more "northern-bashing" cudgels. More talk about corruption, Niger Delta, "northern fanatics and fundamentalists",  etc etc. Talking loud and saying nothing, really. But then that's the beauty of diversity and choice. As Salisu said, people are free to pick and mix (Woolworth's anyone?) their choices. Some sites have it all, others have none. The choice is yours.  Incidentally, there are other Arewa-theme sites (e.g. ArewaOnline); so it is not as if KanoOnline is the only one.

Probably part of the "death knell" of the site is the issue of the Get Together. This has evoked so much debate this time – and less than the usual animated responses, such that it makes quite a few people sad (annoyed?).  The lack of response, in my view, was not because of lack of interest, but simply pre-occupation. Dan Borno, a prime mover, was away on the Hajj. Salisu and I can't do much because we are simple spectators, rather than prime movers.

However, based on my experience  with Yahoo! Groups, the very act of an online community getting together is itself an anomaly. Online communities work precisely because they are invisible. That is in fact why many onliners refuse to identify their real names, or post their actual pictures – giving themselves readily available handles and avatars. The spatial nature of the locations of various members makes it difficult to decide on a central location for meetings. In the Yahoo! Groups we came up with the idea of "local chapters", especially when members from Katsina insisted that one of the Sallah meetings should be held in Katsina. We thought that was good – but who'd take care of the logistics both in Katsina and from where people are coming from. The online communities are not prescription-based communities, so there are no "annual dues" or membership fees; thus no petty cash to do these kinds of things. So a local chapter is the best way for people within the same locality to get together, identify each other and form sharing networks at the local level. The Gizago Club of Aminiya newspaper (Kano, Nigeria) is an excellent example of this. The club started as a satire in the center pages of the newspaper – and within two years had developed a vast network of state-based clusters that meet every now and then and discuss issues of common interest. So it can be done, and has indeed been done; but at a different strategy level.

Thus meetings at level being suggested require an enormous amount of time (and resources) and I applaud those who take it upon themselves to organize such.

KanoOnline is a home to many people. Many others also benefit from its existence. We will therefore keep it going for as long as it is possible.  To be frank, we discussed recently the possibility of closing the Board down and going back to the original website as a depository with PDF links to various (possibly boring) papers on Kano and cultural ethnography. This is not because of what people say, but because of the daily grind involved in maintaining the site, as well as trying to keep the body and soul together. After many hours of discussion, we decided to continue as we are. We hope that people understand and appreciate that we cannot force them to be "lively" if they have other places to be more lively. We are not competing with those places – the Naija sites, Facebook sites, etc – for each of us has something to offer, and the combination of variety makes your life easier.  We don't want to project an image of dour sourpusses; but at the same time we welcome suggestions on how to improve things – remembering that this is YOUR forum, not ours.

If you have skimmed the posting to read this last bit, apologies for the long post – but please go back to the beginning and read it, as it explains so much!

Thank you for your understanding.

Abdalla

Thank you Prof. You've said it all. Let the matter rest ;D

[Abdalla]

@Muhsin

No one is criticizing you. You raised an issue, and expressed your opinion. Others also did the same. Not going along with everything you said does not mean criticizing you. It means there are other ways of looking at what we're looking at. Imagine what the world would look like if we are all the same; for as Allah (SWT) said in Al-Hujurat, 13:

O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other (not that ye may despise (each other). Verily the most honoured of you in the sight of Allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you. And Allah has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things).

We are therefore celebrating diversity and choices -- a spritual injunction. You have not offended anyone for you have every right to your opinion. As a marathon poster, you should by now be used to people disagreeing, or at least providing an alternative to your views!

@Dave: the forum will not be closed, insha Allah. We do encourage people to be active in topics they feel strongly about, and if needed we can open daughter-boards to accommodate any other thread not currently provided.

Abdalla

[GoodFella]

@Admin,

Don't close the site. We still cherish staying here.

@all,

Muhsin deserves no vituperation of any kind but recommendation of all kind. I witnessed: the site was next to a cemetery before he posted this thread. But look at how members, new and old are making posts now. He breathed the site back to life.

@Muhsin,

I know that must anger you. Please do not take heart.

[Muhsin]

Salam,

Professor, I very well understand your point. And I think am so much use to peoples' disagreeing. Yours is even cogent while the ones I constantly face is mostly baseless and pure nonsense. Yet there is reason for everything; my reaction that way has one.

Actually I had never imagined this OP would be that hyped. For instance Admin keenly and promptly made numerous replies and then yours—a lengthy one. I opened the thread using a laptop, thus I saved the page; read and re-read those replies. I couldn't help surprising. And more baffling when I opened my inbox and saw Admin's message asking: should K-Online be closed or not (with a link to this thread!)? I remember that this same message has been sent to all K-online members? I said my God!

In fact I might have approached the whole thing wrongly but deep down inside me, am telling you and the rest of K-online community, the intention I hold is good. What is my benefit if I bad-mouth north or this board as microcosm? What will I get if this board is shut down? How can I dare saying anything bad here, where I am known, even my parents are, probably? Where I am no more than a son to many and they do know? I can go on and on.


@Goodfella,

I don't; and won't.  :) Thanks

[gogannaka]

Oh my  :o
Abun yayi zafi haka har admin yayi considering rufe site din?

Muhsin wai whats the meaning of OP you keep writing in your posts?

I think it sounds very very somehow to start thinking of closing the site because one person or the other is complaining of a decline in comments.

[Muhsin]

Oh my  :o
Abun yayi zafi haka har admin yayi considering rufe site din?

Haven't you received the message? Check-up your inbox.

Muhsin wai whats the meaning of OP you keep writing in your posts?

Observation Post. Click on the dictionary.

I think it sounds very very somehow to start thinking of closing the site because one person or the other is complaining of a decline in comments.

Tell me. That's why I must be "frightened". Do you see my fault?

[admin]

Members,

When the topic says 'THE "DEATH" OF K-ONLINE:' that means that it has died and to me, all that needs to be done when something is dead, is just to bury it... in this case shut it down!!!

We also have to accept that just as things have beginning, so must they also have an end. If the time has come for it end, then we must accept that, shut it down and move on to other things...

[Muhsin]

Admin,

But the author put the word DEATH in inverted commas, right?

[HUSNAA]

Salaam everyone.
Finally found my feet on the ground. I have been in limbo for so long. So whats this death thing everyone is hyperventilating about? Oh and Prof Abdallah VERY NICE POST. I read all of it. I must beg to differ though that u are definitely not the shy silent type! My jaw dropped to the floor when I came across that ahem modest description of yr erstwhile self.



PS I must must must see u.  ;D ;D ;D. Where is yr office in the dept of history and y arent u the dvc?