Contrary to the body language of the present administration to promote good
governance, protect human rights and expose corruption, the frenetic pace
with which the “Bill for an Act to Prohibit Frivolous Petitions and Other
Matters Connected Therewith” passed two of the constitutionally stipulated
three sittings in the Senate leaves a putrid taste in the mouth. It has
caused public opinion and discourse to tag the proposed law “Anti-social
media bill” and brought sad memories of press gag into global attention.
On the face value, devoting two consecutive legislative business days and a
record eight days, including setting up three important Senate committees –
Information, Communications Technology; Judiciary to be led by the Ethics
and Privileges Committee, means the Bukola Saraki-led Senate is more
interested in the laws that protect the elite rather than the ones that
favour the masses.
We are worried because the proposed law states that “Where any person
through text message, tweets, WhatsApp or through any social media posts
any abusive statement knowing same to be false with intent to set the
public against any person and group of persons, an institution of
government or such other bodies established by law shall be guilty of an
offence and upon conviction, shall be liable to an imprisonment for two
years or a fine of N2m or both fine and imprisonment.” This is not only
ridiculous, it is asinine. Though the Senate president and some of his
colleagues publicly acknowledged the positive impact of social media on
their political and professional careers, we believe enacting a law to
protect public officers is time-wasting, frivolous, hypocritical and should
be an embarrassment to all democrats.
We are not unmindful of perky news freely shared on social media, but
democracy as a form of government permits free speech and unfettered
sharing of information. Section 39 of the Nigerian constitution guards
people’s right to freedom of expression, including freedom to hold opinions
and to receive and impart ideas and information without interference, as
enshrined in the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights. It is a global
best practice that Nigeria should align with scrupulously. Deviating from
this will amount to a descent to the despotic past where journalists were
jailed for writing truthful reports that embarrassed the privileged class.
Democracy thrives on transparency and anyone that has anything to hide has
no business seeking public office.
The Senate will be progressing in error if it goes ahead in processing this
bill when our statute books are replete with laws dealing with false
allegations, libel, defamation and other torts. The time wasted on the bill
portrays the Senate as idle, bereft of ideas and lacking focus. A
people-oriented legislature should prioritise laws that promote good
governance, welfare for the people and deliver infrastructure and not dwell
on petty issues like restricting the scope of human freedoms, growth of new
platforms of social interaction and public accountability.
It is recommended that the bill be withdrawn immediately and anyone
interested in enlightened self-protection or national interest governance
over the use of the internet or electronic communication, as indicated in
Sections 3 and 4 of the proposed Bill, should read again the content of the
Cybercrimes Bill of 2014. The attempt to jump from petitions/affidavit to
electronic communication on interpretations for intent, petition, and other
issues covered under the Freedom of Information Act and protection of
whistle blowers is not only dubious and unlawful but antithetic to
democratic norms and practices and the constitution to which all Senators
swore to uphold.
African photojournalists will soon have a new resource at their disposal: the African Photojournalism Database, created by World Press Photo and Everyday Africa.
David Campbell, senior media coordinator atWorld Press Photo, said the database aims to recognize the contributions of local photographers in Africa. The database will also increase the variety of visual depictions of Africa so the international community can better understand life on the continent.
Photojournalists will be able to demonstrate their talents and areas of interest by showcasing photos from stories they’re already working on. The database will also expose their work to international editors, helping them to connect with global media. Journalists and media organizations hoping to report in Africa will be able to browse the database to find photographers, as well.
Currently, 246 photographers from 22 countries have registered for the African Photojournalism Database. Because the database is not yet public, Campbell said it’s best for interested photographers to register now with as much information as possible. The database will go public early next year, at which point World Press Photo and Everyday Africa will begin verifying registered photojournalists before making the photos public.
“Photojournalism offers an important visual representation of people and places,” Campbell explained. “It shapes much about how we know the world. We need to encourage as many diverse perspectives as possible in order to get better representations, and we want to support local photographers so they can tell the stories that are important to their communities.”
Campbell also emphasized the importance of its partner, Everyday Africa, an international social media campaign that curates photographs representative of everyday life in Africa. The organization thrives on Tumblr and Instagram, where it has 274,115 followers.
On each platform, photographers living and working in Africa upload images that, according to its Tumblr page, “redirect focus toward a more accurate understanding of what the majority of Africans experience on a day-to-day basis: normal life.”
“Over the years, we have run a number of programs with partners in Africa, and we want to build on that,” Campbell said. “We know there is great work produced in Africa, but we don’t know enough about who is doing it and where they are doing it. Everyday Africa is a fantastic initiative that has given us new ways of seeing, and we are excited to be collaborating with them on this important project.”
To register with the African Photojournalism Database, go to apjd.org.
Main image is a screenshot of Everyday Africa's Tumblr page.
