Hate Speech: Why Death Penalty?
The continent of Africa harbours countries with the most ethnic diversity. On top of the list is Papua New Guinea with over a thousand ethic groups. Other African countries on the list are Tanzania, Uganda, Liberia, and of course, Nigeria, with over 370 ethnic groups and over half a thousand indigenous languages.
That is how the Nigerian society is structured along multiethnic lines, with diversity in character, religion, socio-economic status, political affiliations among other values.
It is against this background that some argue that the multiplicity of ethnic groups in Nigeria, among other factors, is responsible for the unavoidable and ever increasing presence of hate speech in Nigeria, particularly in the Nigerian social media space. But that argument cannot stand. This is because, if countries like India – with more ethnic groups than Nigeria, a population that’s almost six times that of Nigeria - and yet do not complain about similar issues as much as we do, the problem is not with the diversity but how we are unable to manage our diversity to our advantage.
Based on a research conducted by HeartUmight- a student- based anti-hate speech organization in 2019, over 48% of the hate speech online since 2017 is inclined towards ethnicity.
It is no longer news to say that ethnic-based hate speech has rubbed us of our core values of peaceful coexistence and collectivism. Hence, any effort to curb it should be applauded.
The decision of the Nigerian Senate to device a mean of curbing hate speech is good in all sense of word, but, proposing death penalty or jail terms or N10 million fine for offenders is out of place.
Instead of this strict legal approach, it is reasonable to think of adopting the model used by the HeartUmight students and active citizens network where sensitization are carried out online and offline to create sound awareness of such speeches and the need to deviate from them as well as identify key hate words through studies and strategically countering them.
The federal government of Nigeria can also consider Public-Private Partnership to establish a working partnership with nongovernmental organizations like the Center for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), HeartUmight, etc., and government agencies like the National Orientation Agency to address such issues of national concern. Former President, Goodluck Jonathan once said: “Diversity is the spice of life.”
If fair strategies are not employed in eradicating the growing hateful narrations and violent extremisms in Nigeria, any attempt to do otherwise may be considered as a political plot to silence the masses.