By Uche Akunebu
“The trouble with most of us is that we would rather be ruined by praise than saved by criticism” – Norman Vincent Peale, American Clergy man and author.
In mass communication and political science there is a theory called “The Spiral of Silence”,which is familiar to whoever went to a proper Journalism school, where communication theories are taught as a course.
The “Spiral of silence ” theory was originally proposed by a German political scientist ,Elizabeth Noelle -Newmann in 1974 ,and it meant to refer to the tendency of people to remain silent when they feel that their views are are in opposition to the majority view on a subject. This theory contends that people adopt what the late Chief Bola Ige ,a former Governor of old Oyo State and Attorney General and minister of justice, would call “Siddon look” (Silent) for a few reasons:
1. Fear of isolation when the group or public realizes that the individual has a divergent opinion from the status quo.
2. Fear of reprisal or more extreme isolation, in the sense that voicing said opinion might lead to a negative consequence beyond that of mere isolation (loss of a job,Status ,etc).
Under the military regime of General Sani Abacha, this particular theory in mass communication and political science was in ascendancy ,as that was the period the late Chief Bola Ige ,the Cicero (as was nicknamed) for his oratorical prowess coined the word “Siddon look” to demonstrate the mood of the country, where citizens were scared to the marrows of criticising the no nonsense military leader who many feared wanted to return as a civilian president at a time.
The fear of Abacha was the beginning of wisdom, as instead of criticisms ,what was allowed during his reign was praises and there were harvest of such praises ,as many groups sprang up ,elogising the general, and begging him to run for the presidency. History will not forget ,the one million march for General Sani Abacha orchestrated by Daniel Kanu ,the adoption of the five political parties in the land of General Sani Abacha as sole presidential candidate, which prompted Chief Bola Ige to describe them as “five fingers of a leprous hand ” and so many other individuals or groups that elevated sycophancy to an art under the iron -fist regime.
The country is no longer under a military regime ,where authoritarian press theory holds sway ,and which ultimately midwives the “Spiral of silence ” theory propounded by Newmann,but under a democratic setting that is supposed to witness torrent of criticisms ,a major denominator of democracy.
Regrettably, under the Senator Godswill Akpabio led Nigerian Senate , “Spiral of silence ” appears to have become a fait accompli (inevitable reality) as there have been a clampdown on the right to freedom of speech of Senators, who are thrown under the bus ,using senate rules that are ambivalent to the position of the constitution.
The sign of an era of “Spiral of silence ” was manifest when Senator Abdul Ahmed Ningi ,the peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Senator ,representing Bauchi Senatorial District, in Bauchi State ,was suspended for three months from the senate as result of interview granted to the press. In the interview, Senator Ningi alleged that the government of president Ahmed Bola Tinubu was operating two versions of the 2024 budget ,and that the N28.7 trillion budget passed and signed into law by president Bola Tinubu was skewed against the North.
At the reciept of the suspension of the outspoken Senator representing Bauchi Senatorial District, floodgate of criticisms accompanied the action of the Senator Godswill Akpabio led senate. There were serious concern that freedom of speech as guaranteed under the Nigerian constitution, if nothing was done about it was about to be dragged to Golgotha for abject crucifixion. In doing so ,senate rules ,that encroached on fundamental human right of speech ,was quickly activated .
With what happened to Senator Ningi not eclipsed on minds of many , a seemingly act of opposition to voice of dissent also came to the fore with the sack of Senator Ali Ndume as the senate chief whip on the strength of a letter written by the National chairman of the All progressive Congress (APC) Dr Abdullahi Ganduge and National secretary, Senator Basiru Ajibola.
What was Senator Ali Ndumes offence? His offence was that in granting interview to BBC Hausa on July 10,2024 ,where he alleged that some ministers and lawmakers can no longer reach President Tinubu to relay the prevailing economic hardship and hunger ravaging the country. He was said to have re-echoed his indignation on the state of the nation on few sister stations .
Is it not apparent that the the Nigerian Senate under the watch of Senator Godswill Akpabio, is suggesting that Senators must not “see anything, or say anything ” against the government of president Tinubu? What variant of democracy are we being introduced to ,where criticism is an anathema ?
What is wrong in speaking truth to power? If Senators are made to be afraid to freely air their minds ,does it not amount to a big minus for Democracy? Could this be the case in American Congress or Israel Knesset ? So ,a sealed-lip Senate is what we shall expect from the look of things? To defender’s of democracy, this is unacceptable.
Imagine a political party writing a senate that is supposed to be independent to change an officer they elected ! What kind of interference is this ? This is looking like the drama of the absurd, undeserving of feasting eyes on.
Are we going to end up with a Sycophantic Senate ,that is allowed to only sing the praises of Mr President? Was it what they were elected to do ? The truth is that making “Spiral of Silence ” an unwritten rule at the senate approximates to axing the image of the president ,and portraying him as one that abhors dissent ,when such might not be the case .
Dele Momodu ,a veteran of the pen ,had in his letter to the president that has gone viral ,advised him to beware of “hero worshippers at the National Assembly, who have turned him into God” ,and that this writer and well-meaning Nigerians joins the celebrated journalist to echo. Dele Momodu asked the the president to listen to Senator Ali Ndume ,as he is his best friend. That is simply stating the obvious, as your one who tells you the bitter truth is better than the praise singers, that leads one to doom.
The Nigerian Senate as led by Senator Godswill Akpabio also needs to be told that freedom of speech should not be allowed to suffer in any guise ,as such culminates into booking a place in the hall of infamy.
Dr Uche Akunebu is the national Head of poets of the world (Poets del mundo) in Nigeria and the Editor of African book series, of the international human rights arts Festival based in New York.
