Lemi Ghariokwu
No to Hate Speech
No to Hate Speech
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Political factions across the world have long debated the distinction between free speech and hate speech, as efforts to protect the one are usually at odds with efforts to limit the other. This dichotomy becomes especially poignant when we consider that this is an issue Nigeria has always grappled with. While populist movements cannot survive without free speech, the numerous ethnic and religious groups which stand at odds with each other tend to punctuate their vitriol and xenophobia with hate speech.
Depicting this work in a previously unseen abstract style, Lemi espouses a powerful message against using our own tongues to spread negatives about one another. To him, unity in the African continent is especially vital, and expressing words in hatred is akin to attacking or killing one another. His use of the colours of the Nigerian for the tongue and the bold cancellation of the face both represent the suppression of the people’s collective voice, while the skull-like visage of the figure symbolises fear and death, the outcomes of hate speech and violence.
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