FEATURE ARTICLE

Tuesday, September 5, 2023
[email protected]
Arizona, USA
USING FREEDOM OF SPEECH AS A WEAPON OF SOCIAL ANOMIE!

"Craving for unnecessary attention and heating a fragile polity is not patriotism but social irresponsibility and an act of state sabotage." - Yahaya Balogun.

r. Martins Oloja's patriotic admonition to Nigerian youths in his ace September 3rd, 2023 article, "No to another Republic of Nigerian Army!" is very instructive, and his message from the video clip that accompanied the piece is timely. Mr. Martins Oloja aptly says: "I have been deeply saddened by some comments and inquiries by some younger elements who never experienced the consequences of military rule in Nigeria, and so are being carried away by the current wave of military coup detat in Africa because of the perceived failure of democracy and irresponsibility of some African leaders who continue to demonize democratic governance on the continent." The stakeholders in Nigerian politics must amplify the revered and respected journalist Martins Oloja's advice to the misinformed youths and Nigerians.

Freedom of speech and expression is a fundamental right for every citizen to express their thoughts, beliefs, social, cultural, and political opinions. Hiding under the yoke of reckless words for antisocial construction is an anti-democratic norm. Some aggrieved Obidients' predatorial wishes for the constituted authority in Nigeria are discernable and unfortunate. But Obidients should be careful of what they wish for their country!

Sadly, Aisha Yesufu is Gen X (45 or thereabout; born between 1965 and 1979/80 ); she is expected to have witnessed the Babangida and Abacha's ruination of Nigeria. I also hope she understands the evil incursion of the Military into democratic governance. How she gets hailed by her Obidients, mainly Gen Z (born between 1997 and 2012), is nauseating! All these Obidients Gen Z have never witnessed the autocratic rules of the zombies! We must not stop telling these Trumpians, grieved and aggrieved people, to stop inhabiting the eco-chamber of lies and misinformation.

Obediently, measured Obidients' stakeholders must caution against Aisha's garrulity and her minions' antisocial vituperations before their maurumauru turns Nigeria into the dark side of history. Some reasonable Obidients should give the non-correctable and irascible Aisha Yesufu meritable history lessons and advice that there is a limit to damaging freedom of speech.

Meanwhile, speeches laced with disinformation, misinformation, reckless, irresponsible, inciteful, and harmful to a fragile society must stop. Nigeria is a work in progress. Aisha Yesufu should stop comparing Nigeria with Gabon and Niger--Igi imú jìnnà s'órí. Coup is unfashionable and retrogressive in a modern society. Nigeria is reordering its constitutional order in a governing and democratic setting. Sane clouts must curtail Aisha's irresponsibility and unguarded speeches of her mouth. Unfortunately, some nonconforming Obidients are playing "What kind of play is this?" and climbing unrestrained to the apex of a whirlwind tree.

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