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Judex Okoro, Calabar
Governor of Cross River State, Professor Ben Ayade, has advocated a total regulation of social media content so as to safeguard Nigeria’s fledgling democracy and national integration.
Speaking while declaring open the National Broadcasting Summit, which had the theme, ‘Broadcasting and Democracy: Emerging Security Imperatives,’ organised by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) in Calabar, Ayade said the social media menace has led to a breach of national security in several ways.
The governor said the social media, as a means of information dissemination, has done more harm than good to corporate governance, the political system as well as the national economy. He insisted that the content must be controlled to avoid disunity in the country.
He said: “The social media in Nigeria must be regulated because freedom is not absolute; else we will have big problems on our hands with regards to governance, citizens’ participation in democracy and security of the nation.
“There is nowhere on earth that freedom is absolute. Press freedom has limits; dissemination of falsehood should also have penalties.
“Misinformation is a menace that can lead to crisis and the social media is accelerating the disunity of Nigeria.
“Many things on the social media cause disunity. The contents disunite and disintegrate us. I believe in a united Nigeria.
“There are so many horrible pictures that are posted on social media that our kids are not supposed to see because it will affect them adversely. It distorts a lot about our person and if this is not checked, we may not have peace.”
Lashing out at those who have taken up social media to attack those in authority and cause disaffection among Nigerians, the governor said: “The people who post such pictures should be sent to jail because it is due to the existence of the law that we all surrendered our freedom and it is the law that protects it.
“You post a picture from an incident that occurred in Mali as if it happened in Nigeria. A lot of such posting fuels religious crisis and killings. They use such to start a crisis and fuel it. It is economic fraud. It is sabotage. Broadcasting regulations must become stiffer. I am not against freedom of the press but they must operate under the ambit of the law.”
Chairman, Daar Communications, Raymond Dokpesi, commended the governor’s presentation on the menace and impact of social media on peace and stability through falsehood.
Dokpesi said: Governor Ayade has made a very useful presentation as a governor in the driver’s seat where he has experienced the devastating effects of the impact of social media on the peace and stability of the state through the dissemination of falsehood.
“I am happy he has been able to limit it to the social media and not the traditional media. That notwithstanding, it is my belief that it calls for more openness and transparency in the management of the affairs of the country.
“A lot of the governors believe that the duty of governance is their personal right. If you are passing a budget, it is only fit and proper for it to be debated in the House of Assembly and the National Assembly.
“The media is fully involved and the people are well educated because that will eliminate the possibility of rumour being disseminated.
“You remove the possibility of disinformation and misinformation.”
Imploring the governors to be more responsible and responsive in handling state matters, Dokpesi decried the use of state information officers as ‘colonial masters’ to promote and propagate the policies they want to embark upon.
