These are times when you cannot but have a
political point, and I have always tried to render my views calmly. The
headline that caught my attention and has held it for the past couple of days
has to do with the proposed restriction on the use of social media in Nigeria and
there is no calm way to lend my voice (or anyone else’s voice) on that.
According to the Vanguard on Saturday, a
bill seeking a two-year jail term for any person who makes allegation or
publishes any statement or petition in the newspaper, radio or medium of whatever description against another
person, institutions of government
or any public office holder, passed
second reading in the Senate, yesterday (Friday).
I agree that some might believe this will
help to fight the global scourge of cyber bullying, but looking at the emphasis
they are placing on using it to protect public office holders and institution –
it is obvious they are just demonstrating the sycophancy they have been accused
of. This manner of selfish and myopic (I can still call them that, the bill
isn’t passed yet) thinking is just a blatant disregard for the wishes of the
people. Or how else do you explain a reluctance to pass into law the
controversial bill relating to payment of unemployment benefits by the same set
of legislators and the eagerness with which they want to pass this one.
P.S: they (the lawmakers) have ignored
party affiliations on this one and gone ahead with it in a united manner.
Let me explain, this bill benefits them; it
means that they cannot be questioned so easily about their dealings (not
without going through so many tiresome processes) and it will give them the
freedom to become even higher – handed. On the other hand, the other bill
relating to unemployment benefits is of no use to them, they have jobs so it is
none of their business who doesn’t – oh! And not all of them are even
graduates so they would not have been eligible in the first place.
Activists have organised a march slated for
today (Tuesday) in Abuja to make known their stand on the matter. This is just
as the United Nations is considering the petition filed by rights group,
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), against the bill.
The president, the Vanguard
reports, has also come out to distance himself from any such bill, which he
described as undemocratic. The President speaking through his Senior Special
Assistant on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, stated that the principle
of the bill was inconsistent with democratic ideals of free speech enshrined in
the constitution of the land. He noted that free speech is an integral part of
democracy all over the world and this bill threatens that very pillar of
democracy.
Here we have a country with many pressing
issues requiring legislative attention and our lawmakers are convinced that the
most judicious use of their time (which the country pays for) is to pass undemocratic
bills that benefit them alone – and only in the short run. Maybe while they are
at it they can also take away our rights to freedom of speech, association, expression,
and every other right that they do not like us to have.
But Mr. (and Mrs.) Lawmaker, if you do this
now, where will you spread propaganda about your opponents in the next
election. 2019 is not far o.
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