By Raji Toheeb
Day after day, week after week, and month after month, our society is plagued by a series of disunity, misunderstanding, discrimination, and hatred stemming from the misuse of our freedom of expression.
Hate speech, as defined by the United Nations Strategy and Plan of Action on Hate Speech, is “any form of communication, whether in speech, writing, or behavior, that attacks or employs pejorative and discriminatory language concerning an individual or a group based on their religion, ethnicity, nationality, race, color, descent, gender, or other identity factors.”
The ability to express one’s thoughts freely should not be compromised. In recent years, the world has witnessed numerous atrocities, and one of the primary precursors to these incidents is hate speech.
The proliferation of various social media platforms has also contributed to the spread of this problem in our society, with individuals often asserting their independence to say whatever they please.
A case in point is Abdulazeez Adegbola, also known as Tani Olorun, an advocate of isese, who faced prosecution for criminal defamation and public disturbance due to his use of hate speech. He even spent several weeks in jail as a result. His actions nearly incited chaos and disunity among the people residing in Kwara State, particularly in Ilorin and its surroundings.
Furthermore, there’s the tragic story of a girl named Deborah, a student of a college in Sokoto, who met an untimely death at the hands of an angry mob, beating her with stones. She was accused of disrespecting their prophet (Muhammad) and the holy book (Qur’an). This incident triggered strong reactions and stoked anger among the youth. Only divine intervention prevented this situation from escalating into a religious conflict between Muslims and Christians.
The only viable solution to this troublesome issue in our country is for everyone to exercise caution in their speech. It is imperative for the government to enforce laws against hate speech, imposing severe punishments and fines for those who violate them. Additionally, there should be legislation governing social media to curb the spread of these atrocities through online platforms. With these measures in place, we can hope to restore a sense of peace and unity in our country.