I write to you our Honorable Lawmakers of the Federal
Republic of Nigeria. I write to you to eradicate certain
viruses that threaten the peace of our beloved “One
Nigeria”. I choose not to join those that love to just sit down
and criticize the government without suggesting any solution
in any way. I want to be a part of the solutions to the
problems we have in this country. This is the purpose for
this open letter.
The just concluded 2015 election exercise was one full of
tension. The polity was so heated up and as a lot of people
fled the country in anticipation of a post-election war. Why?
The polity was being heated up because different versions of
“hate speeches” were flying all over the place by various
politicians, religious and traditional leaders.
We heard a former presidential candidate threaten that
“dogs and baboons will be soaked in blood.” An Oba
threatened the Igbos in Lagos with the lagoon. A former first
lady was insulting Northerners, calling them “born throw
way”. Some religious leaders told their followers not to vote
for Jonathan because he is an infidel. After the elections, a
certain man told the Igbos not to expect anything from
President Buhari and that they are free to leave Nigeria if
they want to. And another man is on radio insulting the
Yoruba’s and Hausas/Fulani’s. These are people that have all
their family members chilling in Europe, and America while
they provoke people and incite violence in Nigeria. And in
the event of any break out of violence, they will be among
the first to jet out of the country. People who make such
derogatory, inciting, provocative and hate- filled statements
are enemies of the peace of Nigeria and henceforth should
not go unpunished because they love to capitalize on the
gullibility and stupidity of their followers to cause mayhem
in Nigeria.
What caused the Nigerian Civil war 45 years ago? Everybody
has their side of the story but on taking a closer look, what
led to the war were hate speech/messages and hate crimes.
The civil war, ethnic/tribal wars, religious killings, pre/post-
election violence were all fueled by hate speech and hate
crimes. The Boko Haram we are all battling with today was
built on the foundation of hate speech and hate crime
before it was hijacked by some ghost sponsors.
The Nigerian government has always been a reactive
government. We have never had a proactive government.
We were warned to diversify our economy. We were warned
that the shale oil production in America plus world oil
politics would affect our crude oil dependent economy.
Cameroon gave us an early warning about releasing the
water from their dams. But what did the usual reactive
Nigerian government do about all these? Nothing! We have
developed a dangerous habit of waiting till things gets really
messed up before we take action. This *yeye* attitude of
governance by both the executive and legislative arms of
government will not lead this nation forward. It is high time
we developed a proactive system of governance.
One that solves problems before they occur, and prevents
impending crises from shaking the nation unnecessarily.
And if we must stop future violence and unnecessary killings
in Nigeria, we must legislate against hate speech, hate
crimes and tribal bigotry. . Hate speeches usually lead to
hate crimes, and we cannot afford more episodes of
violence or useless killings in this country. I therefore ask
our lawmakers to pass a law that criminalizes and punishes
hate speech, hate crime and tribal bigotry in Nigeria. This
law will greatly minimize future election violence, religious
and tribal killings, and totally bring more peace in Nigeria
than we are having now.
Hate speech is a speech that attacks, threatens or insults a
person or people because of their tribe, religion or political
views, etc. Hate crime is a traditional crime like murder,
arson, vandalism, etc, meted at an individual or group
motivated by prejudice, intolerance or hatred for an
individual’s tribe, religion or political view. Killing people in
the name of religion or because of their tribe is an example
of hate crime.
Therefore, I propose that henceforth, any politician, public
office holder, Therefore, I propose that henceforth, any
politician, public office holder, religious leader, traditional
leader, social icon, celebrity or public figure that publicly
mutters any form of hate speech or encourages hate crimes
against any tribe/ethnic group, religious group, political
party, political opponent, whether during election
campaigns, or through the internet or social media, TV or
radio, should therefore be sentenced to life imprisonment
or death by hanging, and without the option of an appeal.
For the common man on the street, if found guilty with
enough evidence, he should be sentenced to 50 years
imprisonment. People should not be insulted, oppressed or
killed because they belong to a certain tribe, have a certain
political view or have a preferred choice of religion.
Freedom must be limited if not there will be anarchy in the
land. If people are free to do what ever they like then armed
robbery and kidnapping shouldn’t be crimes in Nigeria. The
fact that armed robbery is a crime in a democratic setting
means that people are not “free” to do whatever they like.
Thus, freedom of speech and expression cannot include
hate speech and hate crimes. Hate speech and tribal bigotry
offenders are enemies of Nigeria and should be given the
capital punishment because their sole aim is to disrupt the
peace of this country. If our Nigerian lawmakers ignore this
call, Nigerians will know that our elected lawmakers are not
interested in the peace and progress of this country. We will
be fully convinced that the “One Nigeria” concept is a scam.
It is a common thing that human lives are not valued in this
country. That is why people are killed anyhow all over
Nigeria and nothing is being done about it. And nothing is
being done about it because we do not have laws that
protect the lives of the average Nigerian on the street. Boko
Haram we are struggling with today was a baby monster
built on the foundation hate speech and hate. Today it has
grown into full time terrorism.
I served in Bauchi State long before boko haram came to the
lime light, and there I saw with my very own eyes that
Nigerians can be slaughtered simply because of a page of
the Koran that was found on the street. There were several
religious killings during my service year and I thank God that
I came out from there alive.
The Federal parastatal were I was posted to offered to retain
me but I refused the offer because I couldn’t risk being
slaughtered one day because of a page of the Koran being
found on the floor, and I vowed never to go to the North for
anything for the rest of my life. Why on earth should I work
and live in such a place? I would rather be unemployed and
alive than live in a place where Nigerians can be killed
because of a cartoon on Mohammed that was made in a far
country? A lot of my friends and colleagues lost their lives
while serving their fatherland. I saw churches being burnt
with reckless abandon.
I saw lives being wasted for nothing. How many mosques
are being burnt down in the south? And I also observed that
the killings were not just religiously inclined, it also had
serious tribal undertone because if it was just religion, then
the Yoruba Muslims would have been spared. But the
Yoruba Muslims had to also join us to run for their lives.
Such hate crimes cannot continue to go unpunished in this
country. It is high time our lawmakers passed a law that
forbids and punishes all forms of religious, ethnic and tribal
killings as hate crimes. Boko Haram is supposed to have
taught us a lesson as a nation. And any right thinking
government will thus make laws that will permanently
prevent any issue that is a threat to human life in any
capacity. Human lives must be valued in this country.
Someone has to be held accountable for lives being lost in
any part of Nigeria. When no one is held accountable by the
law for religious, ethnic and tribal killings, people will go
ahead and create such menace because nobody will take the
responsibility of protecting the lives of Nigerians.
It is high time the National Assembly makes laws that holds
and punishes traditional leaders, and religious leaders for
any ethnic/tribal or religious killing carried out under their
watch. I believe that if the Imams, the Sultans, Emirs and
Fulani leaders risk being jailed for life, they will be able to
discipline their followers to respect other people’s tribe,
religion and to value human life.
I do not mean to offend anyone, but I have seen people
come out from the mosques to perpetrate violence and kill
people in the name of Allah, and there is no way you will tell
me that the Imam doesn’t know such people. If he is held
accountable, and proven to be innocent and have nothing to
dowith such crimes, then he should be able to produce such
people to face the music. The lives of Nigerians are more
valuable than any religious, tribal or political sentiments.
Someone would say why not call the police? Well, we all
know that the Nigerian police is the comedy department of
the Armed Forces. And usually before the police even shows
up the scene lives must have been wasted for nothing. The
police and army cannot prevent religious and tribal killings
but religious and traditional/tribal leaders can. We have to
stop dealing with the effects. We have to start dealing with
the root causes of stupid killings in this country. We have to
pass laws that prevent such killings, and it will be a lot easier
of people are held accountable by law. The army and police
cannot prevent crises but laws can. Lives will keep being
wasted until someone is held accountable. We have to set
up mechanism to re-orient people on the value of human
life. Boko haram experience is enough to teach us a lesson
in this nation, except we don’t want to ever learn.
The Nigerian constitution is bigger than any religious belief,
ethnic group or tribe. Nobody should be killed in any part of
Nigeria because of his religion, tribe or ethnic group. I
should be able to go to the North, live here and do business
without being constantly afraid that one day I might just be
butchered like a cow. I should be respected as a Nigerian
irrespective of my tribe. Nigeria is a country with various
tribes and ethnic groups and each tribe and ethnic group
must be respected by others according to the law. I should
not be insulted or oppressed because of my tribe. And the
issue of “minority” tribe or ethnic group has to be abolished
in this country because we are all important. No tribe is
superior to the other and we must make laws that uphold
this.
I noticed that an American citizen is always proud enough to
tell anyone anywhere in the world that he’s a citizen of the
United States of America, not just because America is the
most powerful nation in the world, but because America as a
nation values the life of its citizens, and he has hope and
belief in his country that whatever happens to him America
will protect him. I wish we could say the same of the
Nigerian government. I am looking forward to a Nigerian
Government that has maximum value for human lives.
We have always relied solely on the executive arm of
government for protection but it has failed us woefully in the
past. This is not an APC or PDP issue. This is not a matter of
Christians vs. Muslims. We voted for CHANGE. Not for a
political party. We needed change in the system. We needed
change in the country. This is a matter of National Security
and I therefore call on all Nigerian Lawmakers to prove to
Nigerians now and again that the term “One Nigeria” is not a
scam and that the life of every Nigerian is valued by the
Nigerian Government.
Yours Truly,
David Mark
(A Patriotic Young Nigerian)

Pls indicate in the heading/title that the author David Mark isn't the same person as the former Senate President.

.

Lol! David mark ko David martins nii

When you want to make sweet lie, don't forget to add the atomic of truth.

MrDenygerian:
Pls indicate in the heading/title that the author David Mark isn't the same person as the former Senate President.

walaii thought it was the former sp.

nice write up sha.

this should go farther than nairaland

OP. look for way and hand this over to you representative in red or green chamber

David Mark must hear this

Seriously, I wish the Senate and House of Reps could get a hold of this.

OP, Simple4generall, dis article is too crowded. Why dont you put it in paragraphs like the original one way I bin read before?

Distinguished David silent mark, what's happening? You don't talk on the floor of senate , but resort to open letter.


I hope the Senators, aka this people(in majority leader's voice) , would listen.

Abeg tell them ooon cuz dey dnt no d meaning of war espacially those agitating for biafra on nl...i will never 4get d conflict btw modakeke and ife