Hate speeches in Nigeria spread like a raging fire devouring harmonious relationships, severing age-old ancestral ties and endangering communal spirit.
The purveyors of the vitriolic messages usually ply their trade on Facebook and other social media where they have absolute control and unhindered access to spew their venoms.
In 2015 general elections, All Progressives Congress discovered this willing tool- hate speech and used it effectively to wrestle political power from the then ruling Peoples Democratic Party.
Few weeks ago, Facebook and other social media were awash with hate speeches and messages during the purported feud between Senator Godswill Akpabio and Governor Udom Emmanuel.
That Facebook plans to double its staff working on reviewing and deleting illegal material in an effort to further crack down on hate speech and terrorist propaganda, according to Facebook chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg in Brussels on Tuesday is a welcome development.
During her first ever speech in the capital of the European Union, Sandberg aimed to demonstrate her company’s willingness to cooperate with the bloc, where the company has run into troubles due to the EU’s strict standards on data protection and illegal hate speech.
“We have not done enough to stop the abuse of our technology.
“We have done a lot to maximize the benefits of our platforms, but we need to do more to minimize the negatives,” she said.
Sandberg noted that Facebook was already employing 10,000 people working on safety and security issues and added that the company will double the number to 20,000 by the end of this year to better monitor and eliminate illegal material posted online.
She said the issue was “complicated” due to the lack of “universal definition of what is hate speech,” adding: “but we can always do better.”
So far, the EU has shied away from regulating social media platforms and has called on online companies to crack down on illegal content themselves.
This includes signing up to a voluntary code of conduct against hate speech, to which Facebook is a signatory.
However, the European Commission warned this month that it may toughen rules if companies fail to regulate themselves.
During Akwa Ibom state PDP Caucus held on Saturday, January 20, 2018, the caucus cautioned all members of the Party at all levels to refrain forthwith from issuing any statement on any issue and matter whatsoever, without the approval of the Leadership or appropriate arm of the Party.
This was seamless message to weld the political calabash that was almost broken during the era of raucous language used by the political gladiators to fan tribal embers for their self-aggrandised interest.
At the wreath- laying ceremony at the state Cenotaph in Uyo, Governor Emmanuel also kicked against hate speech by identifying hatred, discrimination and disunity in the country as elements working against the efforts of the dead soldiers.
Emmanuel spoke during the Armed Forces Remembrance Day celebrations on January 15 and queried “Why are we still creating layers of hatred instead of growing and expanding the bridges of love, unity and togetherness?”, asserting that, “these compatriots whom we are gathered here to honour spent days, months and years in the foxholes. There was no tribe in the foxhole; there was no PDP or APC; they were all Nigerians, Akwa Ibomites.”
“As your Governor, I preach peace, I preach love and I preach togetherness. These attributes have been the articles of faith to which I am inexorably committed to pursuing and will continue to uphold no matter the push to act otherwise. I enjoin all to submit and ascribe to these laudable tendencies.”
The 2018 party primaries are around the corner to be followed by the general elections in 2019. Let the electorate and key players play the game according to the set rules and objectives devoid of hate speeches and false propaganda capable of disuniting the country and setting the foundation of togetherness and brotherhood in Nigeria into political wilderness.
