The adamant Buhari administration insists on pushing for the regulation of social media in a bid to cub the spread of misinformation capable of imploding the country. This move will also see the passing of "Hate Speech Bill" sponsored by the Senate's deputy chief whip, Aliyu Abdullahi, and which has currently passed first reading in the floor of the Senate.
While many Nigerians see nothing wrong in combating the spread of misinformation, they are however, wary of the Buhari administration whom they say cannot be trusted to not exploit the bill against the freedom of Nigerians to free speech. The fact that the bill also recommends "death by hanging" as one of the punishments for hate speech, makes it all the more nauseating.
Nobel laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka, has added his voice to the list of activists who find the "Hate Speech Bill" inappropriate and capable of doing more harm than good especially under an administration with questionable motive.
Soyinka in a letter written to the National Assembly as reported by
Sahara, said he is all for fight against the spread of misinformation and hate speech. He however, sees 'death penalty' as unacceptable and condemnable.
He said, “It is no fake news that I have denounced the purveyors of public lies and hate material as the very scum of the earth. I have called them names that come close to enrolling me among the very reprobates we all so fervently denounce.
“I have utilised every available platform to highlight their perverse mentality and call for concerted action against their hyper-activism against humanity in general.
“I have singled out the Nigerian species of this criminal pursuit as an especially virulent breed, as a subhuman aberration without conscience, incapable of remorse, sustained by abnormal reserves of sadism.
“I have closed down dozens of fake sites instituted over my name, and set in motion mechanisms for the pursuit of those who steal my identity, even where the content is quite harmless, even positive.
“As you may have discerned so far, I again, and unapologetically, exploit this very development to reiterate my detestation and contempt for such pestilences that plague our humanity.”
He therefore, urge the lawmakers to seek other reasonable means of resolving the issues at hand.
