The governorship aspirant of the National Conscience Party (NCP) at the 2015 polls in Lagos state, Comrade Ayodeji Akele, has backed the embattled leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) over his agitation to secede from Nigeria.
Speaking at the One day national dialogue on Hate Speech organized by the Nigeria Network of NGOs at the Ostra Hall and Hotel, Alausa, Ikeja, Akele labeled the discourse on hate speech as diversionary and a ploy by a failed government to mislead the citizenry.
He said, “There is a serious marginalization in this country and if you cannot talk, that doesn’t mean others cannot talk. If you can’t talk, then it won’t be fair to blame others that can. Kanu has the right to talk and lead his people.”
“This government is horrible and they are looking for ways to cover up their failures. The show of shame called ‘Operation Python Dance’ is needed more in the north and not the south east but what do we have instead? This government is a promoter of hate speech.
He went further, “There are other important issues that should be addressed. We have miserable minimum wage to contend with. A senator earns 28million naira monthly. What do we call that? Isn’t that hate actions? Instead of the government to look into this, they are busy looking for hate speeches with a touch light.
According to Akele, what is needed is good governance, equal rights and justice and peace will come naturally.
The Executive Director, Paradigm Initiative Nigeria (PIN), Gbenga Sesan also speaking at the event, enjoined citizens to have a sound understanding of what constitutes hate speech so as not to play into the hands of the government.
He said, “When we talk of hate speech, everything is subject to context. When you specifically target a group or person and incite people against them, then there is trouble. Context and process are keys to defining hate speech.
“The recent proscription of IPOB as a terrorist group is a good example. What was missing was the lack of due process. The law is what separates us from the beasts. I am not surprised by the agitation at all. 56 percent of youths are unemployed and the nation is still at rest; that is why it is easy for the likes of Kanu to incite them.
The Director, JDPC, Father John Ngoye also lend his voice to the discourse.
According to him, “When people have been deprived of their sense of belonging, when few people have turned the property of the majority to theirs, what do you expect the marginalized to do?
“Sometimes we abandon the real issues and focus on irrelevant ones. Why should hate speech become so irrelevant? We have people going home with 10 thousand naira monthly while those we vote in to represent us are eating the national cake”
He concluded by calling on all stakeholders to learn to dialogue as that is the only way a lasting solution could be reached.
“The call for restructuring has shown that there is a problem somewhere that needs to be addressed. Sometimes, opening up a wound can make it heal faster. We should learn to dialogue since we are all stakeholders in Nigeria.
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