Then They Came For Ushie…

Over the weekend, the information of Ushie Rita Uguamaye who criticized the federal government’s failures and voiced her frustration over hardships stuffed social media. Uguamaye, a Nationwide Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member serving in Lagos, Nigeria, confronted harsh backlash after posting a video on TikTok criticizing President Bola Tinubu’s administration and the unhygienic state of Lagos state.

In her video, Uguamaye expressed frustration over the nation’s financial hardships, stating that tough work not ensures monetary stability. She referred to President Tinubu as a “horrible chief” and described Lagos as a “smelling state,” highlighting poor dwelling circumstances and excessive value of dwelling – a context that nearly each Nigerian can relate to.

Following the video’s viral unfold, Uguamaye reported receiving threats, allegedly from NYSC officers, pressuring her to take away the content material. She expressed considerations for her security, stating that the officers had her private particulars and have been actively in search of her whereabouts. Regardless of the intimidation, she stood by her statements, emphasizing her proper to free speech as a Nigerian citizen.

The incident drew consideration from outstanding political figures together with Mr Peter Obi, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Social gathering who praised the youth corps member for her braveness in voicing her grievances. He emphasised the significance of free speech in a democratic society and condemned any makes an attempt to intimidate residents exercising this proper. Equally, human rights activist Omoyele Sowore publicly supported Uguamaye, accompanying her to the NYSC Native Authorities Inspector’s workplace in Lagos amidst the controversy.

The scenario shortly sparked widespread debate on social media relating to the steadiness between free speech and the obligations of NYSC members. Whereas some argue that corps members, as non permanent authorities workers, ought to adhere to sure restrictions, others insist that freedom of expression is a basic proper that have to be protected, no matter NYSC standing.

The NYSC program, established in 1973, goals to advertise nationwide unity by deploying Nigerian graduates to serve in numerous elements of the nation. Through the years, it has confronted criticisms associated to safety considerations and debates over its continued relevance. 52 years later, many Nigerians query the relevance of the scheme amidst many challenges together with poor placement, insecurity and poor allowances.

First, They Got here For Chioma

Uguamaye’s expertise underscores ongoing tensions in Nigeria regarding financial challenges, freedom of speech, and the position of youth in advocating for change. However the true query is, did she lie? Is all properly in Nigeria? The scenario is akin to an Igbo proverb which says, “you don’t beat a baby and in addition dictate how the kid ought to cry”.

First, it was Chioma Okoli who was hounded by the police and Erisco Meals Ltd over a well-known Fb publish reviewing the corporate’s Nagiko Tomato paste in September 2023 with legal and civil prices introduced in opposition to her and now, Ushie.

Our elites, authorities officers, politicians and regulation enforcement companies proceed to harass hapless Nigerians merely for voicing their dissatisfaction with the established order. The Cybercrimes Regulation has now been weaponised in opposition to residents who make any untoward feedback on social media about their conduct.

One is compelled to conclude that these authorities officers have a whole lot of free time on their arms or are utilizing paid brokers to watch what abnormal residents are saying on social media out of frustration. The NYSC doesn’t converse for the Presidency and has no proper to intimidate anybody over their social media feedback on the state of the nation.

The final time I checked, Nigeria remains to be a democracy and freedom of expression is assured. We can not permit some unscrupulous politicians and people to return us to the navy period the place freedom of speech was a luxurious. Our democracy (albeit imperfect) and freedom are maybe the one luxuries that Nigerians have, and so they have to be guarded by all means essential.

Capital Punishment For TikTok Submit

One would suppose that Uguamaye’s assertion was a matter of nationwide safety or a terrorist risk that wanted a response from senior authorities officers together with Toyin Ajayi, the Senior Particular Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity. Ajayi, in his response to the difficulty on social media had known as for capital punishment for the youth corps member. Following the outcry over his publish, he shortly retracted by clarifying that his assertion didn’t check with the dying penalty reasonably, he was calling on the NYSC to use the stiffest penalty which is expulsion from the scheme.

In response to him, “I steered that flagrant and open abuse and disrespect of NYSC by-laws and established protocol ought to entice the complete NYSC disciplinary measures…nothing past the established norms and legal guidelines is recommended or remotely implied.”

Sadly, even this clarification is approach too harsh for a social media publish expressing frustration over harsh dwelling circumstances. Or does the presidential aide not perceive the that means of capital punishment? If this development is allowed to proceed, we danger descending into the navy period the place residents are hounded and dispersed merely for voicing their opinion.

The federal government ought to realise that they’ll’t shut up over 200 million folks for the sake of the 1% who management and have captured the state, judiciary and regulation enforcement. Relatively than intimidate residents for talking fact to energy, the federal government must rethink this missed alternative to handle the considerations of many Nigerians over the state of the nation.

In response to this timeless quote by American cultural anthropologist and writer, Margaret Mead, “By no means underestimate the ability of a small group of dedicated folks to vary the world. In truth, it’s the solely factor that ever has.”

What’s the Authorities Afraid Of?

If Uguamaye had made a humorous TikTok video or sung the reward of the federal government endlessly, would she have been handed the identical penalties that the presidential aide and the NYSC are advocating? Would she be in violation of the NYSC guidelines and rules that are actually been popularised?

The saying “the youth are the leaders of tomorrow” has been faulted by many and changed with “the youth are the leaders of as we speak” as a result of, given the state of the nation, tomorrow is not assured. Maybe that’s the reason Uguamaye voiced out her frustration on social media, a platform which is by far probably the most extensively accessible medium for younger Nigerians to interact with their leaders, different Nigerians and the remainder of the world.

One would think about that it could be a greater use of time and state assets if authorities companies, officers and their apologists concentrate on extra vital points like healthcare, training, insecurity and energy as an alternative of combing by way of social media to curtail dissenting voices. The pace with which the NYSC and different authorities officers have known as for stiff penalties in opposition to Uguamaye, is to say the least, alarming. How fantastic would it not be if the identical pace might be used to reply to energy outages presently throughout the nation, particularly the incessantly collapsing nationwide grid?

Maybe its secure to conclude that these frequent hounding of abnormal residents should not remoted occasions however half of a bigger scheme to maintain residents busy and distracted. This well timed assertion sums it up completely, “For those who maintain a folks exhausted and distracted, they gained’t organise. For those who maintain them struggling and divided, they gained’t resist. The system isn’t damaged, it’s working as designed”.