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| social media bill: yay or nay? |
Omawunmi, an eccentric soul-singer retorts in one of her hit songs.
How did we get here?
That has been the question on my mind ever since news filtered in about a supposed "social media bill". Due to spurious and sensational reporting by certain online media, I now exercise more restraint before commenting on anything. Clarification did come though, even though we wished it wasn't true.
What exactly is this bill all about?
In a nutshell it means that if a person or a group of persons share information which turns out to be false or grossly misleading, those persons and others who disseminate such information shall be liable to prison terms, fines or both.
How did we get here? I ask again!
Nigeria is the largest black democracy in the world! Even our erstwhile colonial masters who we claim to model after entrench free speech in their constitution! Barely six months ago I was in a part of the country where I was constantly on the move, barely had time for television, so virtually all the news was gotten from social media.
Now after riding on the back of social media to enter public office, after using it to achieve the objective, some people now think it should be 'curbed'.
Let's understand this properly.
It seeks to criminalise thought, freedom of speech and ideas. These are tenets of the democracy and liberality we all enjoy. It means putting a wedge in a person's thinking to curtail thoughts which run into their millions daily.
I remind myself that we are in 2015 and not the Stone Age!
This bill was obviously hatched with malicious and unpatrotic intentions. To intimidate and harass perceived opponents or very vocal critics.
Don't get me wrong!
There are civil laws and judicial processes put in place to deal with slander, libel, defamation or character assassination. These laws are fairly sufficient to handle such issues.
I am a strong advocate for ethical use of social media. I would never malign people or brandish unfairly any product to the best of my ability. So It's not a call for impudence.
Social media platforms to a very large extent are self-regulatory. They all have feedback or report mechanisms for its users. Asides that, it is commonly said that from the rumours truths will emerge.
At a RISE NETWORKS event to mark this year's International Youth Day, Former Governor Babatunde Fashola hinted that social media comes with its pros and cons but we should rather have it than not have it. If you can't stand public criticism, please don't venture into public office, it's that simple! For the ordinary Nigerian, social media is his only avenue to vent and express himself, for some people it is their entry level for political participation, now you want to 'reward' him by gagging him? After voting for you?
It's a very hard bill (pill) to swallow. We are still grumbling over the absence of young persons in the recently constituted cabinet, fuel scarcity is the new national anthem, the national cake has been replaced by doughnuts, more goats are stealing our yams, cases of robberies and other forms of insecurity concerns (especially as the yelutide beckons), some states are threatening to slash minimum wage, the country is bedevilled with a litany of challenges and the most important bill to pass is one that curbs social media?
Is it just me or are there others trying to keep their sanity too?
Somewhere is the middle of this chaos, I still believe that by 2025, Nigeria will be the world's most desirable nation.
Wait, you think I am gonna let some jokers erode my belief in what God said about this nation?
Not a chance!!!
Thanks for Reading!
Have yourself an inspired life!
Facebook: Mfonobong Inyang
Twitter: @inspiredMI_
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Mail: mfonobonginyang@gmail.com
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