Broadcasting
Hate Speech: DSS Is Better Than NBC
By Tonnie 0. Iredia
History tell us that in most heterogeneous societies, multiple centrifugal forces make it easy for the fragile fabric that binds society together to give way at the slightest provocation.
To avoid the dismemberment of such societies therefore the remedy is to always pursue policies that can unite the different groups that make-up any such society.
Nigeria is a good example of a nation whose constituents have for long been restive about what many see as basic inequality in the management of public affairs.
This has over the years tended to accentuate ethno-religious intolerance compelling government to rely more on prescriptive criteria than merit in many policies.
Under the circumstance, Nigerian leaders have found it expedient to take steps to consciously dissuade the use of intemperate language that can inflame passion and cause anarchy in society.
But this has to be done without encroaching on the fundamental principle of freedom of expression which democracy guarantees.
According to Section 39, of the Nigerian Constitution 1999, “every person shall be entitled to freedom of expression including freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart ideas and information without interference.”
However, Section 45 of the same constitution makes it clear that freedom of expression must not be used to make reckless statements that can adversely affect other persons.
In other words, government has a duty to ensure that laws such as that on defamation are made to protect the rights of other citizens. Bearing in mind that the mass media have the capacity of disseminating information far and wide, the conduct of the media has to be regulated to avoid disseminating insensitive materials that can pitch one group of society against the other.
Therefore, a regulation such as the National Broadcasting Code which among other things, seeks to prohibit fake news and hate speech that are injurious to society is tolerable, provided, it is neither politicized nor used for witch-hunting.
Put differently, no regulation should be negatively constructed to become a fault-finding tool or an instrument to gag the media.
On Monday, August 10, 2020, a former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank who is currently a Directing Staff at Nigeria’s authoritative Policy Research Institute in Kuru, Jos, Dr. Obadiah Mailafia while participating in a radio programme alleged that a serving Nigerian state governor was one of the commanders of the dreaded Boko Haram group.
In the reported words of Mailafia, “some of us also have our intelligence networks. I have met with some of the bandits; we have met with some of their high commanders – one or two who have repented – they have sat down with us not once, not twice. They told us that one of the northern governors is the commander of Boko Haram in Nigeria.”
As was expected, two relevant Nigerian Agencies, the Department of State Services, DSS and the broadcast regulator, the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission, NBC quickly reacted to the subject.
While the DSS invited Mailafia for questioning with a view to extracting more facts on the authenticity of his claims, the NBC examined the broadcast against the backdrop of its mandate to ensure that no broadcast station is used to undermine the continued existence of the country.
The two agencies have since made a number of declarations on the subject. On its part, the NBC, instantly found the radio station, Nigeria Info 99.3 guilty of what it called “unprofessional broadcast” and imposed a fine of N5 million on the station.
In the case of the DSS, the conclusion arrived at was that it was indecent on the part of Mailafia to have disseminated such information without using his well-connected links in society to verify the heavy allegations before making them public. Thereafter the DSS warned all highly-placed citizens to show greater restraint in their public utterances.
Before reaching her conclusion, the DSS invited Mailafia twice for interrogation thereby giving him ample opportunity to defend himself.
When compared with the summary trial which the NBC gave to the Nigeria Info radio station, it is obvious that at least on this matter, the DSS has been more humane than the broadcast regulator. Although the DSS has all the instruments of coercion at her disposal, she was not coercive. Indeed, Mailafia’s lawyer testified that the service was civil in her conduct with his client.
Many people particularly broadcasters, this writer inclusive, have since remained baffled by the speed with which the broadcast regulator found the radio station guilty of “unprofessional conduct” in its transmission.
First, the interview was organized by the station on one of its regular slots – ‘Morning CrossFire’ where different personalities are invited to air views on burning issues, in which case it was a normal programme which had no trappings of mischief.
Second, the guest was by every standard, a first-class political news maker, capable of throwing light on issues of public interest being a bonafide Nigerian political leader who would have been our President if the party which sponsored him as a Presidential candidate had won last year’s Presidential elections.
Third, the programme was a LIVE broadcast that could not have been subjected to editorial control unlike a recorded programme that could be edited to remove unwanted portions.
Fourth, following global realities in broadcasting, LIVE programming is today the new trend making it untenable to question the format and philosophy of Morning CrossFire.
Based on the above, we think the NBC’s posture is not a plus to society just as it cannot improve the broadcasting profession in Nigeria. Rather, the huge fine on a purported offence, could only have instilled fear in broadcasters to now embrace self-censorship and timidity.
The NBC needs to move away and very quickly too, from that old perception of radio as an organ for telling the people what the government wants them to hear. Public expectations of the media in society have since gone beyond that narrow prism.
Today, the media is expected to undertake a surveillance of the environment, while monitoring the process of governance as mandated by Section 22 of the Nigerian Constitution. It is also to serve as a link between the government and the people; as well as criticize and analyze events.
More importantly, the media is not only to inform the people but also to protect their rights to know while at the same time pointing out danger signals in the horizon for people to avert a woeful end.
As heavy as Mailafia’s allegation appears to be, there is no conclusive proof that it is false just as the allegation is neither different nor heavier than the old unproved belief that Boko Haram was founded by a governor.
The intelligence services should therefore see Mailafia’s addition as a new vista for understanding the advent and growth of insurgency and how to bring it to a peaceful end in our country.
Electioneering campaigns going on in Edo State at the moment, are replete with hate speeches thereby confirming that the greatest culprit of hate speech is the political class.
We cannot make progress if offending politicians receive sermons only while the media, they use are heavily penalized by a regulator, whose component parts – Minister, Board and Management are singing discordant tunes.
—Iredia is former DG, Nigerian Television Authority (NTA)
By Seye Folajimi
I start each day with one goal: to be as efficient and focused as possible. A developer’s life is full of interruptions, and without good time management, it’s easy to fall behind. As a Backend Engineer at Moniepoint, I’ve assembled the toolkit that helps me and I believe by extension any technical professional to deliver results consistently.
In this feature article, I’ll share the tools and habits that have practically multiplied my productivity and sharpened my focus on the job.
My Daily Toolbox
I rely on a handful of core tools every day. IntelliJ IDEA and Visual Studio Code are my primary editors: IntelliJ for heavy backend work (it’s packed with features) and VS Code for quick edits or scripting. When testing APIs or debugging endpoints, Postman is indispensable for sending requests and saving environments. For spotting code or configuration differences, I often paste text into Diffchecker.com and let it highlight the changes. And for database work, MySQL Workbench provides a visual SQL editor and schema designer that saves me a ton of time. Dear professional, using the right tool for each task means fewer context switches and a smoother workflow.
Productivity Strategies That Power My Workflow
Beyond raw tools, I use structured habits to stay on track. I break the day into focused blocks and assign each chunk to an activity (coding, reviews, meetings, etc.). This time-blocking approach improves focus by letting me give my full attention to one task at a time. I also apply the Eisenhower Matrix to categorize tasks by urgency and importance; this ensures I tackle critical work first. Rather than flitting between emails, calls, and code, I batch similar tasks into dedicated slots. Some of my core techniques include:
Time Blocking: I assign specific blocks of time for coding, meetings, code reviews, and so on. This means I can dive deep into one task without switching contexts. (For example, I often use 25-minute sprints followed by a 5-minute break – the classic Pomodoro cycle – to keep my mind sharp.)
Prioritization (Eisenhower Matrix): Each morning I list my tasks and sort them by urgency vs importance. The Matrix helps me “do first” what truly matters and “delegate or drop” low-value items. This clarity prevents me from getting bogged down by busywork.
Automation: Whenever I catch myself doing something repetitive, I stop and ask, “Can I script this?” Whether it’s a shell script for routine commands or a CI/CD pipeline for deployment, automation frees up hours. Reducing manual repetition lets me focus on more critical work. Even simple automations (backups, report generation, test harnesses) add up to big time savings.
Notification Discipline: I turn off unnecessary notifications and check email/Slack only at scheduled times. By minimizing interruptions, I stay “in the zone” longer and preserve my cognitive energy.
Building My Custom Focus Extension: The Hot Gate
I even took matters into my own hands by coding a productivity tool from scratch, i called it “THE HOT GATE” .
The “Hot Gate” refers to the ancient Battle of Thermopylae in 480 BCE, a famous event in Greek history. It’s where King Leonidas of Sparta and a small force of Greeks (famously 300 Spartans) held off the vast Persian army of Xerxes I for several days.
The extension:
Blocks distracting websites during deep work sessions.
Organizes tabs to reduce clutter.
Unlocks distractions only during breaks.
I built it using JavaScript and browser APIs. One limitation: I can still turn it off manually. I’m considering adding a restriction to prevent that—but it’s still a local extension. Maybe someday I’ll publish it.
Breaks and Rewards
I’ve learned that smart breaks actually boost productivity. I take 2–4 minute strolls every hour, prompted by reminders from our infrastructure team. It’s refreshing and clears my head.
After big wins (like deploying a major feature or solving a tough bug), I reward myself—whether it’s a nice meal, a movie night, or just a chat with friends. These rewards keep me motivated and prevent burnout.
Wrapping Up
In my experience, combining the right tools with disciplined habits is what unlocks consistent high performance.
I’m constantly refining my setup—automating repetitive tasks, organizing my schedule better, and building systems that help me stay in the zone.
At Moniepoint and beyond, delivering quickly and reliably takes more than just code. It takes systems thinking, self-awareness, and the discipline to evolve your workflow over time.
By adopting these practices, I’ve become both more productive and more fulfilled. And I’m hoping the story is same or at least similar for you after reading this.
Seye Folajimi is a backend engineer with Africa’s fastest growing financial institution, Moniepoint Inc.
This summer, London’s West End will transform into a vibrant showcase of African excellence as TALES (The African Lifestyle Experience) returns with its most ambitious edition yet: Reimagine 2025.
A Luxury Cultural Experience
Hosted at Luxury Promise, 28 Cavendish Square, just off Oxford Street, the event will run from July 25 to August 3, 2025, offering ten days of curated experiences, fashion-forward storytelling, and cultural immersion.
With over 70 curated brands spanning fashion, beauty, art, music, and home décor, TALES 2025 will spotlight Africa’s brightest creative talents and celebrate craftsmanship across the diaspora.
Key Highlights
- Exclusive African Fashion & Craftsmanship Discover one-of-a-kind pieces, from bold fashion in traditional textiles like Aso Oke, Adinkra, and Bantu, to luxury handmade beauty products and bespoke interiors.
- Fireside Chats with Industry Icons Intimate conversations with trailblazers and tastemakers exploring the future of African entrepreneurship, culture, and design.
- Kidpreneur x The Veteran A standout feature returns, bridging generations of innovation by spotlighting rising Gen Z entrepreneurs alongside industry legends like Gloria Ije Anyaehie-Coker, founder of GIA1 Fashion.
- Exclusive Travel Offer with Air Peace TALES is partnering with Air Peace to offer a 15% flight base fare discount for brands and attendees flying to London, strengthening connections within the diaspora.
A Global Movement Powered by Bellafricana
Backed by Bellafricana, a platform empowering African creative entrepreneurs across 18+ countries, TALES champions authentic African stories, craftsmanship, and visibility on the world stage.
Supported by the City of Westminster
The City of Westminster proudly supports TALES 2025, reinforcing London’s commitment to diversity, innovation, and inclusive cultural celebration. The event will be featured across Oxford Street’s Instagram and website, ensuring maximum visibility.
Why It Matters
Following the runaway success of TALES 2024, which featured 40 brands and attracted a global audience, Reimagine 2025 raises the bar. As London’s fashion and cultural scene increasingly embraces diversity and authenticity, TALES 2025 is a timely and necessary celebration of African brilliance.
Whether you’re a fashion enthusiast, culture lover, or global tastemaker, TALES 2025 is where Africa’s future-forward creativity meets London’s cultural heartbeat.
Event Details
Venue: Luxury Promise, The Corner Showroom, 28 Cavendish Square, London W1G 0DB 
Dates: July 25 – August 3, 2025 
Admission: FREE — Registration required at
Bolt, Africa’s leading ride-hailing platform, hosted its Bolt Family Fest in Lagos to honour driver loyalty, reward top performers, and strengthen community ties within its driver network.
As Bolt’s largest market in Nigeria, Lagos served as the ideal location for this vibrant celebration of excellence and shared growth.
The event recognised and rewarded some of Bolt’s longest-serving and still-active drivers, who have been with the platform for 7 to 8 years since the early days when Bolt was known as Taxify.
These veteran drivers were specially recognized and rewarded, each receiving a cash award of ₦200,000 in appreciation of their commitment to the platform and consistent service delivery.
In addition to honouring loyalty, the Bolt Family Fest provided a platform to scale up vehicle branding efforts in the city.
The on-site branding process was made easy and accessible for drivers, while attractive incentives including branded merchandise, gift bags, and raffle entries encouraged participation.
A key highlight of the day was a lucky dip giveaway, where two lucky drivers, one newly branded and one previously branded each walked away with a brand-new SmartTV.
Osi Oguah, General Manager, Bolt Nigeria said: “Our drivers are the heart of everything we do at Bolt, and this event is our way of saying thank you for their dedication and professionalism. We’re not just building a platform, we’re building a family.
“The Bolt Family Fest is about creating moments of connection and showing our drivers they are seen, appreciated, and celebrated.”
The event delivered multiple wins for Bolt including increased the number of branded vehicles in Lagos, enhanced Bolt’s street-level visibility across the city and strengthened the sense of unity and pride within the driver community.
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