Nigerians commenced 2024 with remarkable vigor, as the entire country unanimously adopted a theme for the year, "No Gree For Anybody."
Interestingly, this is not the first time that a word or phrase will become very popular among Nigerians, but the difference this time is that this particular catchphrase seems to be very popular among all Nigerians including the young and old, social media savvy and the non-social media savvy persons.
The slang which originally started as a social media trend has swiftly evolved into a widespread mantra on the lips of nearly every Nigerian.
While some persons are catching cruise with it, others are already abusing it, with some others using it out of context. But what does "No Gree For Anybody" really mean?
The phrase "No Gree For Anybody" essentially encourages individuals to reject any form of nonsense or resist being bullied by others.
It may also imply staying true to one's belief and not succumbing to the influence of others.
Despite the widespread adoption of the slang, the Nigerian police have issued a warning on the supposed theme, claiming the popular slang has the potential to trigger crises within the country if not checked.
During a recent press briefing in Abuja, the Nigeria Police Force spokesperson, Muyiwa Adejobi, said intelligence reports point to the fact that the catchphrase is capable of plunging the country into a crisis of monumental proportions.
He said, "And let me say again on this note that the new slogan, which is 'No gree for anybody', we have been informed from our intelligence unit that this slogan is coming from a revolutionary sector that will likely cause problems for the country.
However, while the police retain the right to warn Nigerians about impending dangers, they do not have the right to restrict Nigerians from enjoying their fundamental human rights. The warning from the police is an affront on the fundamental human rights of Nigerians as Nigerians have the right to freely express themselves.
I know the police will point to the crisis that engulfed the country in 2020 during the protest against police brutality as a reason for issuing the warning but the police partly contributed to eventual degeneration of the conflict into a violent one as they allowed miscreants to hijack the once peaceful protest.
Recall that the 2020 protest which was tagged End-SARS protest was motivated in part by the then popular slogan 'Sorosoke,' which saw Nigerian youths, storm the streets in a first-of-its-kind mass protest against police brutality. The rally which started peacefully eventually degenerated into a violent conflict as some miscreants seized the opportunity to loot shops and vandalize properties.
However, this is not enough reason for the police to issue such warning because the police have a role of protecting lives and properties and not curtailing the rights of citizens.
To this end, the police should allow people to enjoy their freedom of expression as it is a fundamental human right while ensuring that those who try to make trouble or endanger public peace using the slang as cover are arrested and prosecuted.
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