Twitter ban; Nigeria’s worst Democracy Day gift

THE suspension of Twitter’s by the Federal Government of Nigeria is probably the worst Democracy Day gift in more than two decades. And for a country struggling to catch up with the rest of the world technologically, politically and economically, that ban represents another dark spot in the anal of the country’s democratic trajectory. Indeed, with that arbitrary and scary decision come flurry of backlashes from critics and clerics decrying that draconian decision by the government.

In today’s fast-changing world, for example, being deft diplomatically to sift and sort political and technological squabble in a seamless fashion remains a core to political survivability and democratic sustainability.

Democracy for instance is built on robust debate, and where debate thrives, the seed of democracy blossoms. For Nigeria, especially in the last six years, various measures evidenced in obnoxious sponsored bills to constant and relentless rhetoric against fake news (and alternative voices) have been advanced, though futile to gag and suppress debate and dissenters thereby stifling and killing democracy in the most populous Black nation on earth.

Although democracy as a system is a work in progress and Nigeria as a country is not yet fully formed, rule of law in other words is supposed to reign supreme. But where supremacy of the law takes backseat, as is the case of Nigeria on Twitter ban, that nation gradually descends into the quicksand of anarchy and international ridicule.

Suspending Twitter was obviously aimed at stifling civic engagement among young Nigerians and flex unnecessary muscles against innocent citizens. Thus, the continuous use of the platform through Virtual Private Network has exposed the danger of being technologically ignorant and politically arrogant.

Muftau Gbadegesin,

Ibadan.

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