The Hate Speech And Social Media Bill: We All Have A Role To Play.

The Hate Speech And Social Media Bill: We All Have A Role To Play. 

My cousin is a business man. Went through the Igbo "oga" system like most enterprising young Igbo men. I like engaging him in intellectual discussions whenever I get the opportunity, and he gets it most of the time.

Whenever his business buddies come around I like to engage them too, because I believe that it is the duty of every educated Igbo person to enlighten our brothers and sisters who weren't fortunate enough to go to university. This is how I think we can truly thrive as a people. Money alone without knowledge will make us a nation of rich stupid people.

Now, since this hate speech/social media bill brouhaha started, I've been explaining it to everyone who cares to listen, the implications of it and why we must never let it happen. And he's the only around me most of the time to listen to my rants, but somehow he's been quite unfazed by it.

During the sermon at mass today, the priest took his time to educate the congregation about  the hate speech bill. He explained it in layman terms so everyone understood exactly what we're being dragged into. I was excited!

When we got home, my cousin said to me, "I didn't realize this hate speech bill was this serious. For father to talk about it in church means there's fire on the mountain".

I have been singing this same song for weeks now and it didn't affect him as much coming from me until the priest said it in church. This is the power religious leaders wield over the average Nigerian.

Now let's back track to the sermon.

The priest did so well. He was doing so well until the end.

He ended the sermon by saying, "these politicians do all these things to us, forgetting that after this life we're going to give account to God for everything we did on earth. God will hold them accountable in the end".

That part killed the entire sermon for me!

He was doing so well until the end!

I haven't felt this disappointed since the season finale of Game of Thrones. He identified the problem, educated the people on their impending predicament, then ended it all by handing it over to God.

Really?

Maybe I expected too much of him.

All that power and influence, and he just leaves everything to God.

This docile ideology is the reason for our predicament in Nigeria.

I truly do not have a problem with religion in Nigeria, my only problem is how it is used to numb the minds of the people. This is the main reason Nigerians will not stand up to demand for change. The reason we will never revolt no matter what is done to us. Because we keep leaving our problems and our oppressors to God.

Our minds have been numbed by this docility from religion doctrines. And I think it's about time the church changed this ideology. We keep talking about the afterlife while we're already in hell right here on earth. Something needs to change.

"God go help us", the Nigerian's favorite answer to difficulties.

But will God really do for us what we can do for ourselves?

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