Religious Organisations, Ethnic Groups and Communities have Embraced Hate Speech – Chom Bagu

Amb. Friday Bako
Viewpoint Nigeria
14th July, 2018

Mr. Chom Bagu has frowned at the way and manner in which religious bodies, ethnic groups and communities have accepted, embraced and are promoting hate speech. He said in times of crisis like this, religious, traditional and political groups should set good examples to their followers.

Mr. Bagu said hate speech is today a major form of communication as people now make assumptions and terrible things about others without verification.

Mr. Chom Bagu spoke at a two-day Youth workshop on Understanding and Responding to Fake News, Exacerbating Fears and Insecurity in Nigeria organized by Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) @ Starview Hotel Gwarinpa Abuja holding from Friday 13th to Saturday 14th July, 2018 with participants including Journalism, Media Experts and Civil Society groups drawn across all the States of the Federation.

He frowned at the wrong use of social media platforms for fake news and hate speeche instead of the positive utilization and application.

Historical background of the middle belt must be looked at towards addressing sensitive issues relating to the crisis therein. He said there is distortion and misinterpretation of history.

He said the various agitations in Nigeria must be urgently and properly addressed.

He traced the escalation of hate speech to the violence of September 2001 which un turn came about partly as a result of the introduction of Sharia Law in Northern Nigeria leading to mass exodus of Christians to Jos.

He said the September 7th, 2001 crisis changed the mindsets of people and deepened suspicion and mistrust between religions and ethnic groups.

Between 2002 and 2004, he said there was massive killing of Fulanis and the looting of their animals leading to revenge killings of Christians in Yelwa and the imposition of emergency rule.

The 2008 crisis he added was as a result of political on account of elections but was later given a herders/farmers’ coloration.

Th is is how the crisis in Plateau State was given a Jihad coloration and phrases as “Killer Herdsmen”, fulani militia and islamization of Nigeria came about.

He said security agencies have failed in arresting, unveiling and subsequent prosecution of killers/criminals.

He said the crisis has brought about problems where people can’t go to the farms and the Fulani not having cattle on account of rustling.

He also said the crisis has led to deterioration of ethnic cordiality and friendships.

He argued tha currently, the conflict has been hijacked by criminals and that unless criminality is dealt with severely and stop the conflict will mever end.

He posited that hate speech is not new as it came up from relationships that had gone sour due to a number of historical factors including indirect rule which imposed fulani rulers on people of the Middlebelt.

Anotger factor he said, is the religious divide where people of the Middlebelt who were mostly Christian, were called infidels and seggregated against.

Chom lamented how these grievances eere ignored and treated with contempt and so larer ecploded and since then people are finding more hurtful ways to ventilate their grievances.

Mr. Chom said the negative trend of hate speeches, fake news and poor governance must be reversed for the common good of the masses.

Other Resource Persons who spoke are Y. Z. Ya’u the Executive Director CITAD, Dr. Chris Kwaja, Prof. Jibrin Ibrahim, Dr. Saleh Momale, Dr. Junaid Maina and Kamal Umar.

Others are Salman, Hamza, Dapo Olorunyomi, Modibbo Kawu & Dr. Yima Sen.

count | 56

Religious Organisations, Ethnic Groups and Communities have Embraced Hate Speech – Chom Bagu