The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, has
assured that the Buhari Administration will not stifle free speech by
seeking to regulate the Social Media or abridging the rights of the
citizens.
The Minister, who gave the assurance in Lagos on Monday during a
meeting with a cross section of Social Media Influencers, however said
it is important for them to self regulate in order to maintain their
credibility.
”Let me assure you that the Federal Government does not intend to
stifle free speech or abridge the rights of Nigerians to air their
views freely. We are not about to regulate or stultify the Social
Media. This explains why we are asking you to self-regulate. That is
why we are encouraging you to rein in the impostors among you and show
restraint when dealing with issues of national unity, issues of
Nigeria’s sovereignty, as well as issues concerning the lives and
well-being of Nigerians.
”What I am saying in essence is that you must self-regulate in order
not to self-destruct. Self-regulation allows you to weed out the
charlatans among you in order to maintain your credibility and ensure
your survival. Lose credibility and lose it all. That is the stark
reality. If you must survive and grow, you must not compromise your
credibility,” he said.
The Minister described as alarming the spiralling level of hatred
among Nigerians, especially the educated ones, on the Social Media in
recent times, saying that the kind of debate that is being carried out
on the Social Media is exploiting the fault lines in our national
unity.
”It (hate debate) is adding fuel to some low-intensity fires and, if
left unchecked, could conflagrate and consume all of us. Remember, you
need a peaceful country before you can even dream of greatness. You
need a united, strong and virile country to provide the necessary
environment for your dreams to come true.
”A marriage between Nigerians of different tribes that should be
hailed for solidifying our unity as a people has become one of the
reasons to vent incredible hatred and openly predict catastrophe for
our nation on the Social Media. The New Media is a powerful platform
that has democratized access to information and strengthened citizen
journalism. But it is also a double-edged sword that must be wielded
with caution,” he said.
The Minister thanked the Social Media Influencers for their
contribution to the success of the last general elections in the
country that saw the emergence of the All Progressives Congress (APC)
as the ruling party, and urged them to partner with the Buhari
Administration to drive the change agenda, which is aimed at achieving
a paradigm shift in the way we do things.
”This is not a partisan call, since all Nigerians, irrespective of
their party affiliation, will benefit from a better Nigeria,” he
said.
The Minister assured that his doors are open and that he is willing to
work with the Social Media Influencers in the interest of the good
people of Nigeria.
”Feel free to call us to clarify issues, obtain facts and figures on
issues of national interest and to also give us a feedback from the
citizens. You are great Influencers, and you set the agenda. There is
enormous power in your fingertips, and no one can ignore you,” he
said.
