(Opinion Article) OF THE PROPOSED HATE SPEECH BILL AND THE IMPENDING FATE OF THE GOVERNED

OF THE PROPOSED HATE SPEECH BILL AND THE IMPENDING FATE OF THE GOVERNED
By: Yusuff Uthman Adekola

The Nigerian populace has been recently fed with an acidulous legislative proposition which many have found uncanny and misrepresentative. The sour proposition, one that insidiously —like the creepy manifestation of HIV/AIDS— contravenes the tenets of democracy which we claim to practice, was that 'hate speech' be accorded certain legal punishment. Then, one's mind cannot but be forced into the wondrous search for what really could have been meant by the phrase, 'hate speech’. Could it have been the unpleasant jibes political parties as well as politicians make at one another in certain political situations— such as during campaigns and other electioneering processes? Or the democratically expected checking and criticism of the representative leaders by the citizens? These questions amongst many more have seized the deck, for contemplative consideration.

To the dismay occasioned by the proposed bill, I, as a citizen, am obliged to further curiously ask: are we still in a democracy or we are introducing a new one blended with dictatorship— perhaps thus giving us a ‘militro-democratic’ governance system? The fact however is, there is no magnitude of elusive or delusive definition that will satisfactorily exonerate the intended bill from its undemocratic blot. And this blot being pointed at is the portended suffocation and suppression of the freedom of speech and expression, a sine qua non of democracy at that. Another question, thereon, takes a seat in the mind: what is a representative government without the tolerance of a reactive populace?

Although the senator who is the proponent of the bill did laudably provide an explanation of the so-called ‘hate speech bill'— as he mentioned unhealthy inter-tribal, inter-religious and some other inter-ideological talks that may incite undesirable clashes—, we still cannot and should not gullibly take it as all that there is to it. I mean, it is quite vehemently arguable that that so-wanted bill and its advocated ‘Independent National Commission for Hate Speeches’ could possibly be none but an instrument of inhibiting criticisms from the public, as the citizens will consequently become bullied into the fear of being sentenced to death. Fact be told, this, actually, is inferable to be a subtle means of patching the supposed political leader's impunity with more power, since all prospectively challenging mouths must have been gagged.

To bring the argument to a clean platter, one must of course state that there really might be some who go past the bearable, in tackling certain sensitive issues. They go about engaging in injurious name calling, character defamation, amongst other possible bellicose engagements, so much so that detrimental resultant effects come springing up. But, I posit: it is left to whosoever falls victim of such to seek redress in a court of law. And, yes, in such cases where there is a life-threatening augury, the security agencies and establishments we have across the country should suffice, except that it is quite pathetic that the porosity of our security system remains unmatched by a sandy soil's.

As can be deduced from the foregoing, there are more sorely pressing issues at hand than the issue of death sentence for the dubitable 'hate speech bill'. Let the security forces be well empowered with adequate funding and management; let the selfishly secured policemen guarding the so-called 'VIPs' and politicians be truly relieved, as recently promised by the erstwhile errant IGP, for it will eventually be to the masses' needed favour; let unnecessary political monetary and other entitlements be considerately excised, all for the betterment and uplift of the nation and her inhabitants. Let all of these and other necessary positivity be ensured and see how ‘love speeches’ would seize the air with wide condensation.

The A-Z of my argument is simply that this proposed bill beams at the possibility of stifling voices that would normally challenge certain dubious actions or considerations. It is hence portentous of a situation where no one is free to express their opinions; where protests must have been a product of deep ruminations, for lack of knowledge of whether death sentence would be the end, and where political analysts and commentators constrainedly shuffle, examine and pick their words. All these, aforementioned, may be so, because nobody will know for sure where or when they may make a 'hate speech’, as so-called.

The government is therefore urged to kindly ensure doing away with the proposed ‘hate speech bill'. May we please focus on more attention-requiring issues?

READ ALSO: FOR THE NOBLE NIGERIA: GRATIFYING OUR LEADERS OF HONOUR

Writer's Bio:
Yusuff Uthman Adekola is a student of the Department of English at University of Ibadan. He may be reached via adekolayusuff@gmail.com .

(Opinion Article) FOR THE NOBLE NIGERIA: Gratifying OUR Leaders OF Honour

FOR THE NOBLE NIGERIA: Gratifying OUR Leaders OF Honour
By: Yusuff Uthman Adekola

I remember having been once told, a long time ago, about two men who happened to be victims of different but not unrelated experiences. One of them would hardly laugh but his eyes were always a usual source of teary rainfall, as he experienced series of calamities intermittently bubbling at different times. The other one always had smile stuck upon his lips and never knew what feeling comes with bitterness, as he was often deluged with a good deal of goodies even when not sought. Each of the two men, however, only tasted one side of life and were bored to the bone; so, they oftentimes sought to have a share or the whole of what either had. But, they finally died with no change of condition on either end.

Now, as can be said of the two characters, both of them significantly constituted a related binary of opposing forces. While one wallowed in the death of happiness and the other, in the dearth of sadness, one thing was inevitably common— monopoly of situation and its resultant boredom. Hence, none was describable as being different from the other as the end of their respective dystopian and utopian stories had consequently been a dessert of banality. In essence, their similar ends, notwithstanding their dissimilar life experiences, had made none of them worthy of emulation. Therefore, it can be inferred that a mixture of both the good and the bad makes life really worth living. They could have enjoyed life more, had they not been stuck in the redundancy of a single experience.

Based on the aforementioned, I am obliged to lay it bare before my compatriots of the great nation, Nigeria, that thanking the sailors of our politics is most needed. This, without borrowing from their political equivocation, is simply because they have shown us how unabatedly passionate they have always been in all matters of national interest. Our already politically derided lives of near impoverishment have had additive economic, social and more stringencies included, in all magnanimity. Who knows: perhaps, they have only intended to ensure that life is not made boring, for variety, as often said, is the spice of life. How else can one define considerateness? We have, indeed, got to be thankful to them.

Yes, I have heard of how an earlier generation to ours lived life at an enviable magnitude of blissfulness. The first time I heard about it, I was overtaken by awe and stolen away into the wish that the imaginative picture I had of their own “Nigeria” could come overriding that of ours. But it was not possible and I was disillusioned; I was pained. However, I later got convinced that I was wrong; for little did I know that theirs was a world less of liveliness, compared to ours. Theirs had more of reasons for them to smile —breeding 'boredom'— but ours abound with teeming laughter in abject sorrow— breeding 'liveliness’. Theirs was a half-complete world, barely different from that of the above anecdote, but ours is a totally complete one, no way near what holds in the anecdote. So, I ask: shall we not be thankful to the ones who have perverted the themes of our national story?

Apart from the straitened national economic power and individual financial capability within which we all wallow as a nation, there consistently have been security perforations as well. Killings incessantly topple killings at different instances, as if the culprits were engaged in a battle for who is supreme at the game of the murderous spree. For even that may not be satisfactory enough, there have as well been gory spates of kidnappings and abductions. Yet, not so much has been tangibly achieved as to either the rescuing of the kidnapped or the protection of the yet to be. Our national security men seem to forever remain only for men bestriding the top echelon, while mere 'sekuriti’ is calmly reserved for the deprived masses. Well, this is of course an apt explanative schooling still emphasising the need for a life of mixed experiences— elation today; desolation tomorrow. The archetype of a balanced life bipolarity! So that our lives may be different from that of the two men in the anecdote above. So, shall we still not be thankful to them, the best of leaders?

In fact, amidst the appalling upsurge in violence across the country, there have recently been the mongering of a series of amusing tales purported to be the truth. There has been the money-hungry snake saga which seems to have now slid into forgottenness. There has also been the farm-invading monkeys who, against the naturally expected, did not make away with bananas or maybe banana trees, but confoundingly absconded with a huge sum of money. Most recently, there also has been the second coming of the mythical dragon beast which also gave an offering of its robbing portion, perhaps because even the plotlessness of the nation's story is myth-like. While Nigeria teemed with the pervasion of these tales, everywhere was agog with laughter, such that many momentarily forgot about the surrounding gloom hanging across the atmosphere. An important feat was thus achieved: the heaviness of Nigerians' hearts was lightened through comic conspiracy. By that, we had a mixing of our suffering with smiles, that our mind was briefly robbed of the serious issues underlying the amusement. We have had a lively experience best provided at a time of perturbing tension; so, shall we not be thankful?

Now, I charge every Nigerian, who knows what promethean requirement it takes to be a representative of many, to be heartily thankful, especially in this season of mixed experiences that keep surfacing with all passion. I daresay: had our leaders not fed us with so much varieties of decisional ineptness which afford us the abundance of vicissitudes, life could not have been more interesting. These leaders of ours are, no doubt, phenomenal cognoscenti of unmatched humour dispersal. With unretarded level of acumen, they lend the masses some doses of comic relief as and when deemed necessary by them. Our life, as one big nation, is never made boring; never one-sided, but ever balanced with expertly provided amalgam of the good and its non-identical second. Of course, WE ARE MOST GRATEFUL! And WE CANNOT BE THANKFUL ENOUGH!

READ ALSO: (ARTICLE) God Bless America and may God Redeem and Uplift Nigeria


WRITER'S BIO:
Yusuff Uthman Adekola, presently a student of the University of Ibadan, the Department of English, is a campus journalist, a poet and an essayist who believes in the correctional cum enlightening power that the pen commands. He can be reached via +2348166599760 ; adekolayusuff@gmail.com ; FB: facebook.com/adecaller01

(ARTICLE) God Bless America and may God Redeem and Uplift Nigeria

GOD BLESS AMERICA AND MAY GOD REDEEM AND UPLIFT NIGERIA.
By: Adedolapo Timileyin


I have been to America countless times; in my dream and also in imagination after watching American films.Honestly, I wish my impending dream could serve as a surrogate means of conveyance  to America. The image of America I see in hallucination goes beyond  just a place which land is laden with well trimmed grass, beautiful  orchard flanking palatial edifice. America is truly a place for commoners and patricians.

Have you seen how citizens' lives and properties are  held with high esteem in America?. In America that I know of, in an emergency situation,say an accident,call certain number and the ambulance will appear at the accident scene just like a snake will sneak up to someone within moment. In contrast,call for security in a situation (like robbery)in my glorified country,Nigeria,and you will be given alibi like "there is limited fuel in the van".
 
I still maintain my stance— God bless America,one may ask where my patriotism for Nigeria is? well, I will not dilly-dally in answering that, I can only be proud of Nigeria when it is actually the Giant of Africa,which we claim to be.

Nigeria is one of the countries that practises representative government otherwise known as  democracy . But in actual terms,true democracy has not been in practice .Politicians, who are supposed to be representative of the masses  are office loafers in the guise  of servant.They indulge in more saving than serving.Well,who are Nigerians that officials should serve?. In the eyes of the politicians, "Nigerians are mere citizens whose dominant responsibility is to elect government officials and after election,crawl back into their crib". "We are just people who inadvertently give power to Politicians based on our ignorance and we never ceased to pay for our ignorance. In contrast, America is a true definition of democracy,to an extent. Americans always have a say or opinion in decision making process of their country. Americans are the majority(who almost constitutes average citizens).

If we are still on the same side of the coin, without any doubt,you will believe with me that God bless America and may God redeem and uplift Nigeria. Has Nigeria been perpetually cursed by angry gods?. There is always one menace or two crises at one time or the other.If it's not IPOB,it will be BOKO HARAM.If it is neither BOKO HARAM nor IPOB,it will be HERDSMEN. Of course America face their threats too but they employ tact to ensure the crisis is under control.

The hilarious film— Head of State culminates my disposition about America and its citizens. Basically,the film is about struggle for Presidency. Mays Gilliam,a young civilian was picked at the roadside and he was persuaded to represent their cause---in a nutshell,son of nobody becomes somebody.I  guess this can only happen in America and some other parts of the world but not definitely in my glorified country, Nigeria. In Nigeria,it is rare for son of nobody to become somebody in Nollyhood let alone it will happen in real life or it is either you know somebody before you can get something.

This article,God bless America and may God redeem and uplift Nigeria,in my opinion, should be a Clarion call that will redeem, uplift and transform Nigeria.


WRITER'S BIO:
Adedolapo Timileyin is a student of University of Ibadan, Department of Communication and Language Arts (CLA). He is also a campus journalist.



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(ARTICLE) BENUE MASSACRE AND A DIALOGUE WITH THE DEAF

BENUE MASSACRE AND A DIALOGUE WITH THE DEAF.
By: Mojoyinola Abd'Afeez

Thank you lord for giving us the best of leaders in the whole world. Thinkers, intellectuals, and the visionary leaders are those who continue to rule (I mean not ruin) us and have made us great and great again. An ingrate will deny the miraculous and amazing developments in the economic, security and the educational sectors of this country. In fact, a report has it that other world leaders like Trump have been struggling to get in touch with our president so that they can drink from his spring of ever flowing intelligence. To borrow a line from the UI anthem, he is a 'soothing spring for all who thirst…' for ingenuity . Or who will deny his ingenious approach to the crisis that is ongoing in Benue state? His deafening silence could be construed as a punishment for the atrocities committed by the Benue farmers? Yes. The farmers must pay  the price of their folly!

On January 11, 2018, it was reported by the OpuroNation.com (OpNation) that president Muhammadu Buhari, visited the burial of the victims of the attack by the Fulani herdsmen and commiserated with their families. The same Newspaper has it that, he ordered a battalion of soilders to move down to Benue state, thus to safeguard the lives of people and their properties. Why should one not believe that news? Was he not the same president that deployed troops on some eastern parts of the country when there was  agitation for the state of Biafra? Was he not the president that ordered the arrest of the Shite leader, El Zakyzaky cum his followers who were alleged to have used arm against the Nigerian Army  and disrupted the peace of Kaduna and Zaria state? Or was he not the one that stationed the headquarters of Nigerian army in Borno where the Bokoharams were feasting on the blood of the innocents? Was he not the one that sent the security operatives to Delta state when  there was vandalization of oil pipes? Then, how will Benue state be an exception?

Enough of indirectness. Nigeria is a country where tribalism thrives like a bushfire in the harmattan season. It is a personification of favouritism which is easy to find in Nigerian dictionary. Many Nigerian leaders have continued to find solace in its hut. Whenever they want people to elect them for any post, they thrust the dagger of tribalism on their throats… Vote for your brother. Do not sleep on the altar of forgetfulness that this "Iblis" or tribalism (the spirit of Evil, he who enjoys stirring up ill-feelling between individuals and the communities), has continued to steer us apart from our first day of independence. Take for instance, after six years of independence, we stood on a sprawling soil soaked in fratricidal blood. That is the evil of tribalism which the presidency wants to wear its cloak again. Should it not have been better for the president to address the issue of the killings by the Fulani herdsmen in Benue state now before peace is impossible?

Journalists and analysts have provided many solutions to the seeming unending rift between the farmers and the Fulani herdsmen but the government has turned a deaf ear. For instance, in an article written in The Nation by Professor Biodun Jeyifo titled ," First, Disarm the Herdsmen (and Famers); then Work for a Just and Honourable Peace between them", he explained that, the state should have and exercise a monopoly over the means and instruments of violence but  special cases where private companies and individual citizens are allowed or licensed by the state to carry arms for their self-protection. However, it is crystal clear that only the Fulani herdsmen have the authority and audacity to thwart this law and will not be brought to justice. Look around your community, you will see them with sword and guns. Eyes bloodied by rage.

As it was suggested by the presidency, ranching, a modern approach to cow rearing, which a country like Mexico is into, should be adopted so as to find a lasting solution to the farmer-herdmen crisis. For we should stop facing the deadly impulse of antiquity in the age of rocket science and computers. Herdsmen should not be seen as unchangeable.

What all these boil down to is that Mr President should  break the silence and embrace the solutions being proffered. If not, to paraphrase the saying of Gbanabom Hallowell, a Sierralonean poet, "our dinner tonight may come with gun wounds and our desert tongues may lick the vegetable blood…the pepper strong enough to push scorpions up our heads."

 God forbid, another civil war.

WRITER'S BIO:
Mojoyinola Abd'Afeez is a student of University of Ibadan, Department of English; a writer and campus journalist. He can be reached via mojoyinolaavicenna@gmail.com