conflict

Eze

I am not in support of Hate Speech but........-Vice President (South)Association of Eze ndigbo-in-Diaspora

The hate speech bill currently in the National Assembly which recommends death penalty for those found culpable is a sign of leadership failure in the eyes of millions of Nigerians. The political class, government officials and the citizenry are culpable.

Indeed, hunger, poverty and unemployment are the lot of Nigerians today, even as the Federal, State and Local Governments feebly struggle to come to terms with the reality of the times.

In this interview, the Eze Ndigbo of Ibadan and Oyo state, who is also the Vice President(South) of the Association of Ezendigbo-in-Disapora, Eze(Dr.)Alex Anozie opines that once government at all levels addresses the major challenges confronting the country such as kidnappings, killings, banditry, corruption, hunger, poverty and unemployment, hate speech would be reduced to the barest minimum. Excerpts :

What is your reaction to the hate speech bill which recommends death penalty for offenders, presently before the National Assembly ?

 

Most times I wonder what is happening. What is the priority? Why go to that area of death penalty for hate speech? Considering all that is happening in the country. People are hungry, people are in pain. I am not in support of hate speech. It is dangerous and a threat to the unity of the country, but that is not the priority now.

The Federal Ministry of Information and the National Orientation Agency (NOA) should go ahead to campaign against hate speech.

But taking it to the level of death penalty, sounds strange. It was not there before, not to the alarming rate it is now. What and what is causing hate speech. We should be able to ask ourselves this question.

Is it not killings and the wanton destruction of lives and property, sufferings, hardships and religious hatred? All these are the causes of hate speech.

Corruption, lopsided appointments and lopsided development are also the causes of hate speech.

If all these challenges are addressed hate speech would fizzle out.

Government should continue to talk to the public about hate speech.

Government should also do things better. Government should ensure that the killings in every part of the country stops. The rate of crime is on the increase, it is crime here and there.

It is kidnapping, killing or militancy; we are not hearing good news anymore.

I am not in support of hate speech, but we should all work hard to know how it  came about.

There is never a smoke without fire.

When marginalization is at play, there would be hate speech, when justice and equity are not in place there would be hate speech, when the people are hungry, a hungry man can open his mouth and say whatever he likes, if he has the strength.

 Finally, I say it again nobody must support hate speech. Whatever we want to say out we should ensure it helps to build the nation, it ensures peace and tranquility. We have to identify the root causes of hate speech and remove them.

Politicians open their mouths to say whatever they like, in their desperation to pull each other down. This also constitutes hate speech. When people are hearing of how Billions of Naira are been stolen and stashed away in foreign countries, do you expect them to shut their mouths? All they say constitute hate speech.