The increasing resort to hate
speeches/songs on various organs of the mass media, especially radio and
social media, does not bode well for the unity and stability of the
country. It is a clear indication that national cohesion is under
serious threat, as the trust and confidence holding the nation’s diverse
ethnic groups together appear shaken. Nigeria is now seemingly
viciously divided along ethnic, religious and political lines.
These hate speeches/songs are
reprehensible and absolutely condemnable. They should not be encouraged
or tolerated in any part of the country. Therefore, every step must be
taken by the government to stop these fissiparous tendencies. We say
this because every war starts with hate speeches or war of words.
It is good that many Nigerians,
especially politicians and socio-cultural groups, have all condemned the
hate communications and urged the government to go after their
sponsors. The National Economic Council (NEC) headed by Vice President,
Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, has resolved to designate special courts for
purveyors of hate speeches and suspected terrorists and kidnappers,
while President Muhammadu Buhari, who returned to the country on
Saturday, strongly warned Nigerians to desist from incendiary
communications. The government should not wait until great harm is done
to the peace and stability of the country before acting. This is the
right time for it to rein in the purveyors of these hate songs. The
increasing culture of hate speeches, hate songs and quit notices will
plunge the nation into avoidable crisis if the government fails to act
now.
While Osinbajo said the inflammatory communications could lead to genocide, former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, warned
that they could set the country on fire just as it happened in Rwanda.
The Federal Government should rise up and check the unpatriotic act.
We welcome the assurance by the Minister
of Interior, Lt.-Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau, that the Federal Government
is taking proactive measures to end the hateful and divisive speeches.
The government should be swift in sending to the National Assembly the
Executive Bill to Curb Hate Speeches in the country. The bill should be
accorded accelerated hearing and passage into law, provided that it does
not gag the freedom of expression enshrined in the Nigerian
Constitution. The bill should propose punitive measures that can curb
hate speeches.
There is urgent need for restraint on
inflammatory communications. Nigeria and Nigerians cannot develop under
the current atmosphere of rancour and hatred. It is important that we
act responsibly and respect one another. The Rwandan genocide, which
claimed over half a million lives, was precipitated by hate songs and
speeches.
We should avoid the road to Rwanda and
embrace the road to peace through dialogue. We should learn from history
and the mistakes of others. We do not need a soothsayer to tell us that
the country is sitting on a keg of gunpowder that can explode with
little prompting. The Federal Government should work hard to unify the
country. All the federating units must be given a sense of belonging in
the Nigerian enterprise, socially, politically and economically. Without
doubt, lack of trust and unfounded suspicions have deepened our fault
lines and divisions. Poor leadership, bad governance and marginalisation
have led to series of agitations in the country. Nigeria cannot make
appreciable progress without adequately addressing these ills.
Since majority of Nigerians want this
country to be restructured in such a way that it will be fair to all the
federating units and ethnic groups, we believe that the Federal
Government should urgently do something in this direction. The
government must strive to fulfill the aspirations and yearnings of the
people.
It is necessary to instill equity and
fairness in the governance of the country. Nigeria can only fare well in
an atmosphere of equity and justice.
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