Voices Unheard

As humans, we are entitled to certain rights that define our citizenship in a country. They ensure fair and equal treatment, as well as respect and dignity. Another advantage of human rights is that they help tame the powers of constituted authorities. In simple terms, as long as you are a citizen of a country, you enjoy certain rights. These rights are called human rights and are entrenched in the constitution of the country.

I remember the first time I heard the concept of human rights. It was back in elementary school, and I didn’t really understand what it meant, until I got to high school. In my junior year in secondary school, I took a subject called civic education. We learnt all about government and different aspects of the political system. That’s when I found out about the different human rights, from the freedom of speech and expression to the freedom of liberty, to freedom of education and healthcare, these rights are essential to our well-being. As I mentioned earlier, they are all entrenched in the constitution of the country. Which means, they should all be respected and obeyed, right?

In my country, there are several human rights that protect the dignity and liberty of citizens. While all human rights are important, some are often considered fundamental and hold a special significance. For example, the right to life and freedom of speech and expression. These rights play a crucial role in maiming the dignity and liberty of a citizen in a country.

Freedom of speech is a fundamental human right that allows citizens to openly express their views, opinions, beliefs, and perspectives on any topic without interference from governmental authorities. People do not understand that the freedom of speech goes beyond expressing thoughts verbally, it also cuts across writing and media. With this, it is evident that freedom of speech is important for every citizen. However, it is not a license to say whatever you want, wherever you want. There are restrictions. Here in Nigeria, some of the restrictions on freedom of speech are; defamation, hate speech, and speeches that pose a threat to national security.

The fact that these rights are entrenched in the rigid and written constitution of Nigeria means they ought to be respected and obeyed, right? Sadly, the reverse is the case. It is sad to see that citizens feel scared, they hide under tables because they fear punishment and, even worse, getting killed. Over the years, many political activists have ended up in jail, some lost their lives simply because they voiced out their opinions on a particular topic. many writers have also lost property and other things simply because they voiced their views about a certain topic. It's disheartening when the right to free speech, which should be respected from the beginning, isn't honored.

This reminds me of Fela Anikulapo. Fela was a Nigerian musician and a Pan-Africanist, who used his works to question the government. Some might argue that Fela didn’t do things the right way, but if the government had done its duties well, there would have been no need to question them. Because Fela voiced his opinion in societal issues, he was imprisoned a lot of times, battered, and his properties were destroyed. I read a story somewhere that his mother was thrown out of the window by the ruling president at that time.

This also brings back memories of the EndSARS movement. Police brutality had gotten to its peak, and Nigerians had had enough, they decided to do something about it. The protest started off on different social media platforms., but soon erupted as protesters took to the streets to voice out their opinions. In October, 2020, the Nigerian army violently opened fire and killed 12 people. They weren’t even harmed. Innocent people lost their lives all because they tried to express their rights.

Freedom of speech feels more like words on paper than reality.

This is my submission to the Inleo prompt suggestion for the month of May. The topic is: ! Freedom of speech, freedom of press... Are all opinions respectable? Should everyone be free to express themselves in all situations? How is being the freedom of speech compromised in social media?