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Politics

THE MARK OF THE BEAST- Femi Fani-Kayode

Published

4 years ago

November 24, 2019

“If the Hate Speech Bill had been in place between 2013 and 2015 Lai Mohammed would not be alive today”- Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe.
My dear friend and brother Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, as courageous and truthful as ever, is absolutely right.
I would however go a step further by adding that President Muhammadu Buhari himself, Bola Tinubu, Nasir El Rufai, Rotimi Amaechi, Adams Oshiomole, Yemi Osinbajo and a good number of other leaders in the Federal Government and/or the ruling party would no longer be with us either if the Bill had been in place between 2013 and 2015 because they would all have been hanged for their hateful words and inciting speeches.
Yet that was not the way of the PDP and neither was it ever even discussed, contrived or contemplated because civilised leaders and enlightened political parties do not seek to kill others for airing their views and neither do they seek to supress dissent or destroy those that oppose them.
To his eternal credit President Goodluck Jonathan never locked up anyone for what they said, no matter how provocative, and neither did President Olusegun Obasanjo.
These were enlightened, educated, temperate, accomodating and civilised leaders who understood the importance of freedom of speech in a democracy and who were big and strong enough to resist the temptation of becoming unaccountable and sociopathic tyrants whose sole objective was to crush all their detractors, traducers and political enemies.
Sadly those that rule Nigeria today are from a different world and their mindset and disposition are not as reasonable, charitable or kind.
Simply put they are hard-hearted and wicked men with dark, vengeful, bitter, cruel and relentless souls. Not only are they modern-day tyrants but they are also a bunch of pyscopathic and psychotic sadists who thrive on instilling fear on their hapless victims and on intimidating and oppressing the people that they seek to lead.
This brings me to the topic of this contribution. It is my view that the Social Media Bill and the Hate Speech Bill are the greatest threats to democracy and freedom of expression in the history of Nigeria.
They can be collectively described as the biblical ‘mark of the beast’ because their objective is to diminish our humanity, silence our voices and cage our creativity.
The former seeks to cripple freedom of expression on social media whilst the latter, which is a “copy/paste” Bill from the tiny island of Singapore, seeks to literally murder all of Buhari’s political enemies. Permit me to break it down in simple terms.
Under this proposed new law if you speak against RUGA they will call it hate speech and hang you for it. If you speak against Fulanisation or Islamisation they will do the same. If you speak against their tyranny, their abuse of power, their violation of court orders or their abysmal record in public office they will do the same.
If you speak against their persecution of Christians, southerners, Middle Belters and members of the opposition they will do the same. If you speak against their slaughter of IPOB youths and Shia Muslims they will do the same.
If you speak against their domination and intimidation of the Legislature and Judiciary and the total break down and violation of the doctrine and principle of separation of powers they will do the same.
If you speak against their control and regulation of the traditional media and the fourth estate of the realm they will do the same. If you speak against their implementation of an insidious, frightful, ancient and unholy ethnic and religious agenda they will do the same.
If you speak against the ruling party, its Governors, its Ministers, its officials, its institutions or its leaders they will do the same. It goes on and on.
If the National Assembly makes the mistake of passing either or both of these two Bills Nigerians will suffer the consequences for many generations to come and human rights, liberty and freedom will be a thing of the past in our country.
I would urge the Nigerian people not to view this matter with their usual levity, indifference, complacency, docility, stoicism and lily-livered cowardice because the whole thing is an insidious atttempt to silence their tongues, cage their spirits, capture their souls, break their ability to resist tyranny and evil and finally turn them into a nation of pliant little quislings, slaves and errand boys.
What we are witnessing is the final and greatest manifestation of the fascistic, totalitarian and authoritarian state which, like Hitler’s Germany, is creeping up and hiding under the guise of democracy.
Buhari and his friends want Nigeria to be like Stalin’s Soviet Union or, better still, like modern-day North Korea and Saudi Arabia.
These are countries where dissent, oppositon to Government, plurality of views, variety of opinion, individual rights and criticism of Government policy and the maximum dictator is forbidden and where total power is concentrated in the hands of just one man. This is the classic Orwellian nightmare and it is unfolding before our very eyes.
If they get away with it and achieve their objectives Nigeria is finished and within a matter of years we will become the blight of Africa, the pariah of the Third World, the laughing stock of the international community and the worlds largest, most brutal and most savage prison.
What a terrible fate for a people that are so trusting, so innovative, so resourceful, so resilient and so blessed.
Let us go a little deeper.
The leader of the Fulani herdsmen and President of Miyetti Allah, Abdullahi Bodejo, says he and his organisation are in full support of both the Social Media Bill and the Hate Speech Bill and that these proposed laws would allow those he described as “Fulani-haters” to be jailed and HANGED.
Now we know who is behind these Bills and what their real intentions are!
These people came to power and installed a rabidly and virulent Fulani nationalist Government through hate speech and the social media and now they are terrified of being removed by it.
And of course they are the ones who get to deternine and define precisely what hate speech is.
To them criticising and condemming Buhari, his incompetence, his racism, his religious bigotry and his atrocious Governments policies or speaking out against the mass murder and genocide of non-Fulanis all over the country by Fulani herdsmen is “hate speech”.
To them condemning Boko Haram and those that are secretly backing and supporting them is “hate speech”. To them condemning that which is evil, wicked, unwholesome, barbaric and indefensible is “hate speech”.
To them any mention of the President that does not put him in a favourable light or project him as Nigeria’s long-awaited messiah is “hate speech”.
As a matter of fact anyone that refuses to worship and praise Buhari or lick his rectum will ultimately be accused of “hate speech” and hanged and anyone who so much as criticises him on social media or elsewhere will be arrested and jailed.
That is where this man is taking Nigeria and he is using his minions in the National Assembly to achieve it.
He wishes to impose a culture of silence and fear in our nation and he wishes to intimidate and cow our people. To him we ar nothing but conquered slaves and serfs who do not deserve to have a voice.
To him we are a broken, cowardly, conquered and subjugated people who are not worthy of life and liberty and who do not deserve to be treated as equals.
To him we are vermin that must be subdued and put in their place. To him we do not deserve the privilages, rights and liberties that accrue to other citizens of the world that come from other climes.
To him we are not worthy of having a voice or a defender. To him we must bow our heads, bend our knees and tremble in our beds each time he growls.
To him we must accept subjugation, oppression, injustice and tyranny without expressing dissent or saying a word.
To him when our people are slaughtered like flies by his Fulani brothers and core northern Muslim colleagues we must not complain and we dare not write about it, post about it, tweet about it or even cry about it.
That is Buhari’s shameful vision for Nigeria and that is the kind of society and culture that he is attempting to impose. And the slavish fool of a Senator from Niger state that is propsing these Bills is simply doing the President’s bidding.
Yet all this is nothing new. We have seen it many times before and it never lasts.
The Boers of South Africa passed a law to stop their victims from condemning ethnic cleansing. The Nazis in Germany passed a law to stop their victims from condemning genocide.
The Fulani in Nigeria are passing a law to stop their victims from condemning mass murder.
Yet hear this: whatever you say and do, we the people will NEVER stop criticising and condemning your unholy agenda, racism, mass murder, genocide, ethnic cleansing, oppression, Fulanisation, islamisation and tyranny.
In order to have your way and silence us you will have to hang us ALL!
Today belongs to you but tomorrow belongs to the people. In God’s way and in His own time He shall rise up and deliver us, just as He rose up and delivered the children of israel from the tyranny of Pharaoah.
Until then we challenge you, nay we dare you, to do your damnest worse. Christ in us: our hope and glory!
Permit me to end with the following: any Senator or House Member that supports either of these two Bills should bow his or her head in shame and know this: we the people shall NEVER forget or forgive you.

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Politics

PUBLIC NOTICE: URGENT APPEAL FOR PEACE AND SECURITY IN RIVERS STATE: A CALL TO ACTION FOR THE PRESIDENT*

Published

1 day ago

April 22, 2024

Sahara Weekly

PUBLIC NOTICE: URGENT APPEAL FOR PEACE AND SECURITY IN RIVERS STATE: A CALL TO ACTION FOR THE PRESIDENT

Dear Esteemed Citizens of Nigeria,

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As concerned citizens and representatives of the Dwellers of Coastal and Waterways Communities of Africa (DCWCA), our hearts weigh heavy with concern for the safety and security of our beloved nation, particularly in Rivers State. Recent developments have seen allover the internet news online a troubling plot that threatens to undermine the peace and stability painstakingly built by our coastal communities.

We are gravely disturbed by reports indicating a sinister scheme aimed at disrupting the commendable efforts of Royal Fouchee Security Limited, spearheaded by the esteemed Alhaji Mujahid Dokubo Asari. It pains us deeply to learn that the very guardians of our security, the Nigeria Security Agencies, are allegedly orchestrating an assault on the dedicated workers of Royal Fouchee Security Agency and other private security entities in Rivers State.

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In this hour of uncertainty, we turn our eyes to the highest office of the land, the esteemed President of Nigeria, with an impassioned plea for intervention. Mr. President, we beseech you to heed our call and use your authority to halt any actions that may endanger the lives and well-being of our coastal citizens. Your decisive action is imperative in preventing further escalation of tensions and preserving the peace that is the lifeblood of our coastal communities.

While we cannot definitively prove the political undertones behind these alarming developments, the whispers of suspicion linger in the air. It is incumbent upon our leaders to rise above partisan interests and prioritize the safety and security of every Nigerian, particularly those in our coastal regions who are vulnerable to various challenges.

Let us not forget the lessons of our past, where political differences were allowed to sow seeds of discord and division among our coastal brethren. Instead, let us unite in solidarity, transcending political boundaries to safeguard the sanctity of our democracy and the welfare of our coastal people.

Mr. President, we implore you to intervene swiftly and decisively, sending a clear message that the security and well-being of every coastal Nigerian is non-negotiable. Your actions today will shape the destiny of our nation and reaffirm our collective commitment to peace, unity, and progress.

With unwavering hope and trust in your leadership,

Dwellers of Coastal and Waterways Communities of Africa (DCWCA)
[Tom Inko-Tariah ACI arb
President/CEO]

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Politics

Edi Abali Group Raises Alarm Over Security Threat to Ancestral Home, Assets of Alhaji Mujahid Abubakr Dokubo-Asari

Published

2 days ago

April 21, 2024

Sahara Weekly

Edi Abali Group Raises Alarm Over Security Threat to Ancestral Home, Assets of Alhaji Mujahid Abubakr Dokubo-Asari

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by The Army

Sahara Weekly Reports That The Edi Abali Group has raised an alarm concerning a security threat to the ancestral home and assets of Alhaji Mujahid Abubakr Dokubo-Asari, the Paramount Ruler of Edi Abali Group of War Canoe and Chieftaincy Houses in the Kalabari Kingdom of Rivers State, by the military.

In a public notice issued by the Edi Abali Group it states that credible intelligence has revealed plans by elements within the 103 Battalion of the Nigerian Army in Obuama to provoke a confrontation and disrupt the peace in the area.

According to the notice, the plot specifically targets Alhaji Mujahid Abubakr Dokubo-Asari, who is currently out of the country. The army allegedly plans to exploit his absence in order to create a crisis that could be wrongly attribited to the community members, resulting in attacks on innocent individuals. The Edi Abali Group clarifies that there are no issues between their community, the army, and Alhaji Mujahid Abubakr Dokubo-Asari or his company, Royal Fouche Services Limited.

The notice highlights that the tensions arose after Alhaji Mujahid Abubakr Dokubo-Asari spoke out about the involvement of some elements of the Nigerian Army in oil bunkering activities in the Niger Delta. These activities reportedly deprived the government of the much-needed revenue, leading to displeasure among these elements. The group believes that they are deliberately instigating a crisis involving the personnel of Royal Fouche Services to justify an attack on innocent indigenes of the Kalabari communities, particularly in Obuama where Alhaji Mujahid Abubakr Dokubo-Asari is based, as well as the 103 Battalion.

Mr Mpakaboari Pankin Braide said,

“The army in Obuama is aware of his absence from the country and plans to exploit this to create a crisis, which will be wrongly attributed to community members, leading to attacks on innocent individuals.”

The Edi Abali Group calls upon the Nigerian Army to be aware of this plot and to ensure that they are not manipulated into compromising peace and security in the area. They also highlight the proven record of collaboration between Alhaji Mujahid Abubakr Dokubo-Asari and Royal Fouche Services Limited with security agencies in combating terrorism, kidnapping, and insurgency.

The group aims to inform the public, as well as the people of Kalabari and Rivers State, about this planned provocation targeting innocent individuals, including Alhaji Mujahid Abubakr Dokubo-Asari. They emphasize his commitment to supporting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led Federal Government and Governor Sim Fubara-led Rivers State Governments in ensuring the safety and security of all Nigerians.

Said Mr Mpakaboari Pankin Braide

Secretary Edi Abali Group Of War Canoe and Chieftaincy Houses,

“We want the public, people of Kalabari and Rivers State to be aware of this planned provocation targeting innocent individuals, including Alhaji Mujahid Abubakr Dokubo-Asari, who remains committed to supporting the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led Federal Government and Governor Sim Fubara-led Rivers State Governments in ensuring safety and security for all Nigerians.”

Released and signed by;

Mr Mpakaboari Pankin Braide

Secretary Edi Abali Group Of War Canoe and Chieftaincy Houses

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Politics

Nigeria: The Changing Governance Story

Published

4 days ago

April 19, 2024

Sahara Weekly

Today, however, Nigeria is home to the largest single-train refinery in the world, with the capacity to process 650,000 barrels of crude per day

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Nigeria: The Changing Governance Story

By Temitope Ajayi

Sahara Weekly Reports That Tracking many stories of remarkable progress currently taking place in Nigeria can be a challenging task. This is so because these important stories are lost to some who daily indulge in the cacophony of adverse reports. These negative news often dominates the headlines.

With a 24-hour news cycle that tends to focus mainly on distasteful narratives, several Nigerians have been made to accept the view that nothing good is happening in their country.

Those who rely on the mainstream media and social media as the only sources of news and information they consume are the worst hit by the cycle of misinformation that portrays our country as descending rapidly to the edge of the precipice. However, the reality is different: the country is making progress in leaps and bounds.

Late Swedish physician and Professor of International Health at Karolinska Institute, Hans Rosling, his son, Ola Rosling, and daughter-in-law, Anna Rosling, extensively dwell on this subject in “Factfulness: Ten Reasons We’re Wrong About the World – and Why Things Are Better Than You Think,” a book published in 2018. In the book, the authors demonstrate that most people are made to hold the wrong notion about the state of the world because the media project data, analyse trends and select stories to make people assume that things are getting worse around them. The authors assert that a majority of people view the world as poorer, less healthy, and a more dangerous place to live in than it actually is. In other words, many people believe they are living in a worse period in the history of mankind because of misinformation.

The same situation the Roslings describe in their book is at play in Nigeria, where individuals, interest groups, activists, analysts, self-serving politicians, and opposition elements constantly project and amplify negative stories.

It is as if we are in a race with those who can say the most horrible things about our country. Yet, we have an abundance of good stories to tell the world. We seem so numb to the good news that we are dismissive of breakthroughs and innovative trends. For instance, we downplay the significance of Dangote Petroleum Refinery and its possibilities to reflate the economy.

Many people forgot so soon that we had been importing petroleum products for over three decades because the state-owned refineries are moribund. Our national economy bled, and the country was in a fiscal cul-de-sac for those years as a result of subsidy payments on petroleum products.

Today, however, Nigeria is home to the largest single-train refinery in the world, with the capacity to process 650,000 barrels of crude per day. Cynics do not see this as a breakthrough.

Nigerians who are 60 years old and below started seeing modern rail infrastructure in 2016 when the All Progressives Congress-led administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari commissioned the standard gauge rail system, beginning with the Abuja-Kaduna route, later Lagos-Ibadan and then the Warri-Itakpe.

The national rail modernisation project is progressing with Kano-Katsina-Maradi and Kano-Kaduna standard gauge rail projects at different stages of completion. The contractor working on the rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt-Maiduguri narrow gauge recently announced the completion of the Port Harcourt-Aba section. While the Federal Government is rallying stakeholders to promote economic integration across the country, the Lagos State Government recently launched two metro rail lines -Blue and Red Rail lines – as part of the state’s elaborate master plan to build a modern and efficient megacity. Like Lagos State, there are visible signs of remarkable, quantifiable progress in several other states, including Kaduna, Kano, Akwa-Ibom, Rivers, Kebbi, Borno, Gombe, Oyo, Ekiti and Ogun, among others.

A few weeks ago, the President Bola Tinubu-led administration embarked on the construction of the 700 kilometres Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway that will connect nine coastal states in another bold move to bolster economic growth further and open up the country to productive economic activities.

While it may be very easy for critics and other armchair analysts to ignore these developments and their significance to remaking Nigeria, there is no gainsaying that these projects and many more that are ongoing or about to be instituted across critical sectors are the core of President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. Indeed, it is hard to process why the so-called critics and cynics can not see the Lagos-Calabar Highway project as a clear demonstration of the President’s commitment to harnessing the potential of our renascent Blue Economy.

Despite what is bandied by the most vociferous critics

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