In Nigeria, just like in every other democratic country in the world, freedom of speech allows individuals the right to express their thoughts and opinions without fear of censorship or retribution. However, even with the promise not to face any legal penalty, individuals have found themselves facing the consequences of expressing themselves.
In recent years, there have been cases of harassment and, in some cases, even the arrest of individuals who speak against the government. The government has shown its inability to tolerate criticism; they are not ready to be transparent and accountable, and so anyone asking them to be accountable is seen as a threat to their position and authority, hence the new laws and punishments put in place for those whose speech is not in their favour.
I've heard of a common saying: "You are free to speak your mind, but your freedom after the speech cannot be guaranteed." It's exactly what's happening not just in Nigeria but also in some other countries. This statement is more of a warning to the masses to be careful while expressing their opinions publicly and that they must be ready to face whatever consequences it comes with. This has only succeeded in making the masses scared of questioning those in power due to fear of being arrested.
Freedom of speech comes with a lot of responsibility. People must learn to express themselves respectfully without speaking ill, spreading false information to destroy the reputation of others, or threatening them, as seen on social media in recent times. The fact that one is free to speak does not mean they should go about defaming people's character; this is common amongst fans, influencers, celebrities, and political rivals.
Personally, I feel emotional intelligence should be applied when exercising our rights to freedom of speech, because how and when we choose to voice our opinions about another person has an impact on the kind of response we will receive. Imagine telling a Nigerian who is going through a lot of difficulty right now that the government is doing a great job or that this is the best government we have had so far. Although you may have good reasons for stating it, the timing of it is completely off. Given the difficulties that everyone is going through, the people will beat you for speaking up at this time. Now, praising the government will only serve to irritate them more.
Sending out dead threats is a criminal offence, as is not exercising freedom of speech. A few months ago, there was an incident that happened on X (Twitter), where an individual felt it was okay for him to send dead threats against the first lady of Nigeria. That singular act to me is criminal behaviour and not freedom of speech. Threats of violence are unacceptable.
We must learn to be careful with our words and not go beyond them while trying to express our thoughts and opinions. Disrespectful speeches or defamation will only cause more harm than good in the society.
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Reminds me of the X users that got apprehended by DSS for speak ill about the former first lady. It funny that this people have the resources to get the guy quickly but can't track kidnappers and bandits, what a country lol.
Honestly, I was beyond shocked then.
I read somewhere that if insurgency should last beyond 24hours or so, then the government definitely know what's up.
I had a recent case where a man was asked if he could put to black and white what he had said. He could not because he knew the implications. You're right, we should be able to take responsibility for all that we say
Yeah, thank you for stopping by.
You're welcome