Introduction
In a world where digital giants shape narratives and dominate economies, Jidaw watches tech power. Not as a passive observer, but as a voice for justice and equity. This poem is a response to the silent storms brewing in the Global South. It is therefore about witnessing and highlighting injustice, resisting invisibility, and reclaiming voice through poetry.
How ‘Jidaw Watches Tech Power’ Unfolds in Poetry
The following poem shares thoughts without mentioning names, yet the realities are clear to those who understand. As Jidaw, a voice pushing for people oriented tech policy and innovation for Africa, this is not just a poem. It is a call to consciousness.
Poem: Jidaw Watches Tech Power
Giant refuses to be held to account
After messing up the farm lands
Of those who must swallow
whatever you do.
No fairness
Just force
with size as your law.
Jidaw watches.
The Drama Queen is Theatrics King
Threatens to leave,
pouts and moans.
You fold in the West
not even a whisper
quiet as a lamb
But fangs out,
chest forward
in the South.
Pretend to negotiate
in the tech game
But
Wolfs howl rather than bargain
Sensing the code is weak.
You press, you push,
those who’ve already
been hammered
by global unfairness.
Jidaw watches.
In the “developed” world,
you obey,
you cooperate
But here?
You cry.
You intimidate. You shame.
You replay
the tired colonial script:
“Kneel or bleed.”
Did the plantation ever leave?
Or was it just a smooth rebrand
Back to:
Times when dictators
make the rules
Times when the rest
must stay silent or grateful.
Today PowerPoint slides impress,
But same script, new stage.
Corporate domination
dressed as “strategy.”
Rigged practices
masquerading as innovation.
Now in the digital jungle,
the plantation wears
the toga of
tech partnership.
Why Jidaw Watches Tech Power in Silence and Speech
Sometimes, truth doesn’t shout — it observes. The poem critiques the double standards of global tech power: submissive and compliant in the West, aggressive and domineering in the South. The repetition of “Jidaw watches” is both a warning and a record.
Unmasking the Digital Plantation: Strategy or Subjugation?
In the digital economy, power can disguise itself as innovation. Tech giants speak the language of “strategy,” “partnership,” and “inclusion,” yet the practices often mirror exploitative colonial legacies. Jidaw watches tech power wearing a new face. Yet, the script is familiar. Obviously, it’s control in the digital era.
Technology, Africa, and the Unequal Weight of Innovation
While innovation should be a tool for empowerment, it often reinforces old hierarchies when unchecked. Isn’t this a new form of domination? Africa deserves more than rebranded exploitation. The continent needs accountability, respect, and meaningful collaboration. Certainly not intimidation, silence and shame.
Final Thoughts: What It Means When Jidaw Watches Tech Power
This poem is part reflection, part resistance. Jidaw watches tech power not with helplessness but with purpose. Indeed, we need to amplify unheard voices, challenge dominant narratives, and reshape Africa’s digital destiny. The question is therefore no longer if we’re watching, but what Africa’s next steps will be.
Call to Action
Connect to share your thoughts on digital injustice. How can we reshape tech power for true equity?
Author: Jide Awe
Science, Technology and Innovation policy advisor.
Nigeria’s Inaugural Tech Mentor of the Year
Find him on LinkedIn Jide Awe on LinkedIn
Find him on Twitter @jidaw