There are so much works to be done, the youths are ready...at least some youths... but the condition must be right.
"SOCIAL MEDIA CRITICS BILL," SENATOR ADEGBENGA KAKA PROMISES TO EXPUNGE OFFENSIVE CLAUSE. Says (VERBATIM): "Thanks for your concern and those of many Nigerians commentators. It is their inalienable right as this proposed bill and any other for that matter are to serve all. Be rest I assured of my taking responsibility for the oversight in expunging or moderating the S.13(3) at the draft stages. This will be done soonest. Thanks for your concern again." /via Baby Canary (7C623FAB)
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I said the Proposed Social Media gag Bill was made in China and it won't last. Now that the APC Senator Kaka who sponsored the Bill personally taken responsibility to modify the clause, I can say we are getting there. Who says Social Media is not a useful tool in pressuring our leaders to listen?
In the past few days, 2 APC Govs have been subjected to social media scrutiny and both eventually capitulated to the voices of the people.
In the first case, Gov Oshiomole "Go and Die" episode evoked mixed feelings. he later apologised for his outburst against the widow while (rightly) standing firm on his position that street trading will not be tolerated. No one should use poverty as excuse to break the law.
The Senator Gbenga Kaka's Social Media gag also arrived with mixed feelings. There is no denying the fact that a lot of people are renowned for misinforming the public and fabricating tales with intent to create mass hysteria and sometimes mob actions in support of their causes. Yet, the general feeling is that the clause could be used as a tool to gag opposition and concerned citizens whose only medium of expression is social media.
In both instances, the public officials concerned proved to have listening ears. This is a marked departure from what we used to know with PDP (as absolute dominant party) which has never in over 12 years apologise for anything, but had instead, always opted to deploy "Attack Dogs" and "Social Media irrit-ANTS" to counteract public opinions, often, playing divide and rule games and injecting ethnocentrism and militancy into the national dialogue.
The interesting part is that the government lead the way when it come to deliberate propaganda and beating the truth in the head.. The government regularly deploy army of paid agents/cyber-militants/ to cyberspace to regale us with assorted lies and brainwash the gullible ones among us. They call it publicity, but I call it hogwash!
I believe the inability to have reliable source of information will only drive people into speculation and sensational reporting. A president wife, for instance went perform tummy tuck abroad, but we were told she went on holiday, only for her corpse to be brought back home after surgical complication. Another was reported to have go on vacation to rest, only to return to regale us with tale of how she died for one week and become a modern day Lazarus. These kind of misinformation and lies is what encouraged speculation and outright falsification on social media.
To the Social Media activists, carry-on with your status updates. But remember, some lies and misinformation are dangerous to your well-being. The Federal ministry of Justice warns that Libel is still an offence punishable in court of law if the long arms of law catch you. As Abati found out, your words, actions and deeds are well documented for future use. people will forgive and forget, but Google won't.
And to Government spin doctors, the stench from your lies and propaganda are suffocating us and seriously polluting everywhere. Kindly seek a competent medical doctor for quarantine. What does it profit a sycophant if he has his pocket filled with stolen fund and lose his integrity?
Senator Kaka's Bill is needed but I am wondering what part of the proposed Bill is not already in our constitution. As Cornelius Tacitus put it, "The more corrupt the state the more numerous the laws." Nigerian problems are not spin doctors fabricating lies, intentionally. The problem is that for many years,the leaders have been far away from the followers. The followers don't trust their leaders any more while the leaders feel the followers should learn to suffer more. we should be asking why no one is enforcing existing laws.
With corruption eating deep into the fabric of our society, our leaders feed fat on the the nation's under-development and the gullibility of the majority; the Law-makers' concern should be how to enforce laws against corruption and compel public officials to deliver dividend of democracy and achieve stable, secured nation where everyone will be proud to identify with. This is the only way you can stop people from venting their anger on you. This is the only way you can stop them from grunting. They should also remember to remove the immunity clause that protect looters and criminals.
There are so much works to be done, the youths are ready...at least some youths... but the condition must be right. Kudos to APC for having the gut to apologise. Kudos to PDP for turning the heat on APC, (though we know PDP is unrepentant sinner). The people will be the winners when we have the parties on same level fighting to deliver the goodies.
..............The Butterfly Counts not month but moment.....
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