INTERNET PROTECTION AND HATE SPEECH BILL: WHAT IS OUR SOCIETY BENEFIT?
“PROTECTION AGAINST INTERNET FALSEHOOD AND MANIPULATIONS”
SENATORS ABDUL FATAI BUHARI, SANI MUSA, AND ALIYU SABI ABDULLAHI
Let us think deeper, the proposals of these few senators of the Federal Republic of Nigeria voted to protect the electorates.
Senator Sani Musa is aggressively pursuing the passage into law; a bill he claims is for PROTECTION AGAINST INTERNET FALSEHOOD AND MANIPULATIONS. This bill has now passed its second reading in the floor of the house.
According to Sen Musa, the bill was for “PATRIOTIC NIGERIANS” AND THOSE WHO WANT TO SEE THE COUNTRY LIVE IN PEACE”. WAO!!! ANY GUESS WHO THOSE PEOPLE MIGHT BE?
Senator Abdul Fatai Buhari proposed a similar bill in 2018 to STOP FALSE STATEMENT ON SOCIAL MEDIA. This bill also passed the second reading in the senate and almost made it but for the actions of the then senate president, to stop the passage into law;
Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi equally proposed the creation of the National Commission for the Prohibition of Hate Speech; thereby “nailing the coffin” and sealing the faith of those accused and found guilty of such crimes.
TROUBLING, MIND-BOGGLING QUESTIONS. OUR CITIZENS NEED ANSWERS!!
What is this keen interest in passing laws that monitor what we say and do on social media and what we say and do towards each other based on actions and reactions of things? Since when is it so important to monitor what we say in a culture that prides itself on shouting to each other during casual talk and arguments? When has it become a crime for your seniors to scold and curse you some unimaginable words you had no clue what they are saying and yet they feel justified doing it in the name of reprimand? Since when has it become a crime to make up stories in a society, we grew up with folklore storytelling?
Why do our Senators care about internet falsehood and manipulations?
Shouldn’t they worry more about raising high-tech youths that can create equally powerful software or hardware that can detect falsehood and manipulations?
Is it the most important bill that will fight hunger and poverty in the land?
How about a bill to criminalize corrupt leaders that caused poverty and hunger amongst our people?
How about bills to stop nepotism in high places and bring to book all those privatizing public funds?
What exactly does Sen Musa mean by “PATRIOTIC NIGERIANS” AND THOSE WHO WANT TO SEE THE COUNTRY LIVE IN PEACE”?
Who are the “Patriotic Nigerians” referred to by Sen Musa?
At this juncture, any fair-minded, well-adjusted citizen should be saying to someone – ARE YOU THINKING WHAT I AM THINKING?
Any person’s guess will be as good as mine.
What about this recent finding by EFCC that Imo State has recorded the highest number of cyber-crimes in the nation?
Not condoning any form of crime including cyber, I am just thinking, is there any correlation between this overzealous proposed bill and the suppression of these imaginary non-patriotic people who don’t want to see the country live in peace and the cybercriminals!!!?
Who are these people?
Could it be that the proposal to create a National Commission for the prohibition of Hate Speech, whose members will be chosen by WHOM? Is to further punish those same people?
Who defines hate speech?
Back to the Patriotic Nigeria agenda of Sen Musa.
The notion that the proposed bill to supposedly fight against internet falsehood and manipulation was for “patriotic Nigerians” is completely absurd. The fact that Sen Musa even added patriotism as the reason for such sectionalism and tribally minded bill indicates that in the Nigerian context, he fell short in knowing the meaning of a patriotic Nigerian. His claim of being patriotic seems to interface with other identities he bears, which shows, unfortunately.
His use of ‘patriotism’ to blackmail people into joining his twisted proposal that clearly services narrow interests is what Poet Samuel Johnson calls “THE LAST REFUGE OF THE SCOUNDREL”. Sen Musa could not hide his agenda even as he tries to hide under the services to his country – doing what legislators do: proposing legislation. Really? This reminds me of the book of Mathew 12:34 “OUT OF THE ABUNDANCE OF THE HEART, THE MOUTH SPEAKS.”
This aggressiveness to make this law, coming from only our northern brothers, is quite unsettling and cannot pass the smell test. Let’s say, the proponents have no bad intent and that the senators are truly working for the people. The proposal as presented still puts major doubt on the benefit of a judge’s equivalence of a GAG ORDER on all the public. How can the public be suppressed from commenting on observations, events, injustices, trials, etc.?
Do we all now have to be an investigative journalist confirming events before commenting? How does it benefit the public to get facts right the first time before sharing the news? Would it not be better to invest in students who will seek and write the truth of anything when it happens, and sponsor those students to permeate nooks and crannies of the society, gathering facts and writing them to inform the public?
How about weighing the benefit of such law to the society against the cost of numerous violations to persons and group rights? For example, our fundamental right to free speech, freedom of expression, freedom of the press, etc., will be severely harmed.
This will cause intimidation from people in authority, increase corruption at the judicial level, or those left to define and interpret hate speech, and many other detriments to the society, which will truly outweigh whatever benefits if any, that these proposed legislations will give to the society at large.
However, if the PROTECTION AGAINST INTERNET FALSEHOOD AND MANIPULATIONS is not for the protection of the society at large, then, it is for the chosen few who would not want any form of scandal heard or read by the public. Isn’t that the reason why the internet is more useful to inform the society of those escapades?
The society, citizens should call on all lovers of freedom and those unwilling to be suppressed, to rise against this order by Sen Musa and the likes of him trying to shut us up and tie our hands down. This is not good for our progress. We cannot afford to be set back to a primitive era as we try to move forward in technology.
Leaders should do the right thing and not bother about who writes falsehood or manipulates. The truth of your activities will ultimately come out and speak for you. Let go of your interest and pursue the peoples’ interests. Then, the people will speak and write well about things. God bless you all.
Written as a personal opinion of a Concerned citizen,
Lady Dr. Ijeoma Victoria Ehieze
