Misinformation and the Creation of 'Alternative Facts': An Interrogation of two Myths in Nigeria - Research

Misinformation is very prevalent in Nigeria - as it is in most low trust societies where the level of literacy is low. Some misinformation become 'alternative facts' to the extent that they are believed to be true by a section of the population even when empirical evidence does not support such beliefs. The article examines two widely believed misinformation namely - that previous governments in the country have done nothing to diversify the economy; and that going back to farming is the solution to youth unemployment and the problem of declining earnings from crude oil. Based on data from secondary sources and using content analysis, it interrogates these assumptions and concludes that first, contrary to the prevailing misinformation that Nigerian economy is not diversified, the country could at worst be called a 'diversifying economy;' and second, that the assumption that farming is the antidote to youth unemployment and declining earnings from crude oil is grossly exaggerated.