By Olufunke Baruwa
Over the weekend, the news of Ushie Rita Uguamaye who criticized the government’s failures and voiced her frustration over hardships filled social media. Uguamaye, a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member serving in Lagos, Nigeria, faced harsh backlash after posting a video on TikTok criticizing President Bola Tinubu’s administration and the unhygienic state of Lagos state.
In her video, Uguamaye expressed frustration over the nation’s economic hardships, stating that hard work no longer guarantees financial stability. She referred to President Tinubu as a “terrible leader” and described Lagos as a “smelling state,” highlighting poor living conditions and high cost of living – a context that almost every Nigerian can relate to.
Following the video’s viral spread, Uguamaye reported receiving threats, allegedly from NYSC officials, pressuring her to remove the content. She expressed concerns for her safety, stating that the officials had her personal details and were actively seeking her whereabouts. Despite the intimidation, she stood by her statements, emphasizing her right to free speech as a Nigerian citizen.
The incident drew attention from prominent political figures including Mr Peter Obi, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party who praised the youth corps member for her courage in voicing her grievances. He emphasized the importance of free speech in a democratic society and condemned any attempts to intimidate citizens exercising this right. Similarly, human rights activist Omoyele Sowore publicly supported Uguamaye, accompanying her to the NYSC Local Government Inspector’s office in Lagos amidst the controversy.
The situation quickly sparked widespread debate on social media regarding the balance between free speech and the responsibilities of NYSC members. While some argue that corps members, as temporary government employees, should adhere to certain restrictions, others insist that freedom of expression is a fundamental right that must be protected, regardless of NYSC status.
The NYSC program, established in 1973, aims to promote national unity by deploying Nigerian graduates to serve in various parts of the country. Over the years, it has faced criticisms related to security concerns and debates over its continued relevance. 52 years later, many Nigerians question the relevance of the scheme amidst many challenges including poor placement, insecurity and poor allowances.
First, They Came For Chioma
Uguamaye’s experience underscores ongoing tensions in Nigeria concerning economic challenges, freedom of speech, and the role of youth in advocating for change. But the real question is, did she lie? Is all well in Nigeria? The situation is akin to an Igbo proverb which says, “you don’t beat a child and also dictate how the child should cry”.
First, it was Chioma Okoli who was hounded by the police and Erisco Foods Ltd over a famous Facebook post reviewing the company’s Nagiko Tomato paste in September 2023 with criminal and civil charges brought against her and now, Ushie.
Our elites, government officials, politicians and law enforcement agencies continue to harass hapless Nigerians simply for voicing their dissatisfaction with the status quo. The Cybercrimes Law has now been weaponised against citizens who make any untoward comments on social media about their conduct.
One is forced to conclude that these government officials have a lot of free time on their hands or are using paid agents to monitor what ordinary citizens are saying on social media out of frustration. The NYSC does not speak for the Presidency and has no right to intimidate anyone over their social media comments on the state of the nation.
The last time I checked, Nigeria is still a democracy and freedom of expression is guaranteed. We cannot allow some unscrupulous politicians and individuals to return us to the military era where freedom of speech was a luxury. Our democracy (albeit imperfect) and freedom are perhaps the only luxuries that Nigerians have, and they must be guarded by all means necessary.
Capital Punishment For TikTok Post
One would think that Uguamaye’s statement was a matter of national security or a terrorist threat that needed a response from senior government officials including Toyin Ajayi, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity. Ajayi, in his response to the issue on social media had called for capital punishment for the youth corps member. Following the outcry over his post, he quickly retracted by clarifying that his statement did not refer to the death penalty rather, he was calling on the NYSC to apply the stiffest penalty which is expulsion from the scheme.
According to him, “I suggested that flagrant and open abuse and disregard of NYSC by-laws and established protocol should attract the full NYSC disciplinary measures…nothing beyond the established norms and laws is suggested or remotely implied.”
Sadly, even this clarification is way too harsh for a social media post expressing frustration over harsh living conditions. Or does the presidential aide not understand the meaning of capital punishment? If this trend is allowed to continue, we risk descending into the military era where citizens are hounded and dispersed simply for voicing their opinion.
The government should realise that they can’t shut up over 200 million people for the sake of the 1% who control and have captured the state, judiciary and law enforcement. Rather than intimidate citizens for speaking truth to power, the government needs to rethink this missed opportunity to address the concerns of many Nigerians over the state of the nation.
According to this timeless quote by American cultural anthropologist and author, Margaret Mead, “Never underestimate the power of a small group of committed people to change the world. In fact, it is the only thing that ever has.”
What is the Government Afraid Of?
If Uguamaye had made a funny TikTok video or sung the praise of the government endlessly, would she have been handed the same penalties that the presidential aide and the NYSC are advocating? Would she be in violation of the NYSC rules and regulations that are now been popularised?
The saying “the youth are the leaders of tomorrow” has been faulted by many and replaced with “the youth are the leaders of today” because, given the state of the nation, tomorrow is no longer guaranteed. Perhaps that is why Uguamaye voiced out her frustration on social media, a platform which is by far the most widely available medium for young Nigerians to engage with their leaders, other Nigerians and the rest of the world.
One would imagine that it might be a better use of time and state resources if government agencies, officials and their apologists focus on more critical issues like healthcare, education, insecurity and power instead of combing through social media to curtail dissenting voices. The speed with which the NYSC and other government officials have called for stiff penalties against Uguamaye, is to say the least, alarming. How wonderful would it be if the same speed could be used to respond to power outages currently across the country, especially the incessantly collapsing national grid?
Perhaps its safe to conclude that these frequent hounding of ordinary citizens are not isolated events but part of a larger scheme to keep citizens busy and distracted. This timely statement sums it up perfectly, “If you keep a people exhausted and distracted, they won’t organise. If you keep them struggling and divided, they won’t resist. The system isn’t broken, it is working as designed”.
