There’s no gainsaying that news travels fast, and thanks to new media and the “breaking news syndrome”, verifying information is not as important as it once was.
Falsehood has thrived as a result, the urge to get the news out has proved more compelling than fact checking.
Two days ago, I read with some measure of interest what I now refer to as the “Eritrean fable”, the hair raising disclosure that the government of Eritrea has decided to make monogamy a crime.
It seemed like a spoof, it was obvious enough but of course if the internet has taught us nothing, it is to sacrifice critical thinking at the altar of banter.
Predictably, the memes came out, Yoruba demons in full attire heading for Eritrea to claim the demonic Valhalla of the luxury of three women.
Even Don Jazzy couldn’t resist an “Eritrea loading” picture.
Yesterday we were brought back to Earth with a reminder that the story was a hoax, a sham. Yoruba hearts and imaginations filled with visions of multiple bosoms got broken and so we move on!
Will the Eritrean hoax go down as the biggest hoax of recent time?
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