By Prof. Protus Nathan Uzorma
In the age of social media, rumours spread like wildfire, fueling anxiety and fear in the hearts of Nigerians. The constant barrage of unverified information has created a culture of fear, where people are perpetually on edge, expecting the worst. As Aristotle once said, “Fear is a pain arising from the expectation of evil.” (Rhetoric, Book II, Chapter 5).
In Nigeria, this fear is palpable, and rumours are the catalysts that keep it alive. The ease with which rumours spread on social media platforms has made it challenging to contain the damage. A single tweet or Facebook post can spark a wave of panic, often without any basis in fact. As Permanedes, the ancient Greek philosopher, noted, “The rumour is a thing of such a nature that it lives by its own power, and nothing is as swift as the spread of rumours.” This phenomenon is particularly pronounced in Nigeria, where social media has become a breeding ground for unverified claims and half-truths.
The consequences of these rumours are far-reaching. They create a sense of unease, making people fearful of leaving their homes or engaging in everyday activities. The constant stream of negative information takes a toll on mental health, leading to anxiety, stress, and a general sense of hopelessness. As the Nigerian philosopher, Ifeanyi Menike, noted, “Rumours are like weeds; they grow fast, spread quickly, and are difficult to eradicate.”
One of the most insidious effects of rumours is their ability to create a false narrative. One African proverb goes, “A rumour is like a grassfire; it burns fiercely, but leaves nothing but ashes.” The impact of rumours on social media is exacerbated by the fact that many Nigerians rely on these platforms for news. Without fact-checking mechanisms in place, false information spreads quickly, perpetuating a cycle of fear and misinformation.
A journalist, Adewale Adeyemo, once noted, “Social media has become a rumour mill, churning out unverified claims and half-truths that fuel anxiety and fear.” In this environment, it’s challenging to separate fact from fiction. Rumours take on a life of their own, fuelling a culture of fear that is difficult to contain. As the ancient Greek philosopher, Plato, warned, “Rumour is a thing of such a nature that it is half true, and half false.” The effects of rumours on individuals and communities are profound. They create divisions, fuelling mistrust and animosity towards others. As well respected Nigerian author, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, says, “Rumours are like poison; they seep into the soul and destroy relationships.” To combat the spread of rumours, Nigerians must be vigilant, verifying information before sharing it. As the saying goes, “A wise man does not believe everything he hears.”
Fact-checking mechanisms must be put in place to prevent the spread of false information. Yes, rumours are like ghosts; they haunt us, but we can’t quite see them. To break free from the grip of fear, Nigerians must be more discerning, questioning the information they receive and verifying facts before sharing them. When rumours spread, fear grips everyone and evil expectation will be high which eventually may not finally happen. Fear has torment according to the Holy Bible.
In the words of Edmund Burke, “No passion so effectually robs the mind of all its powers of acting and reasoning as fear”. Shakespeare enthuses, “His flight was madness; when our actions do not, and our fears do make us traitors”. Sophocles concludes, “To him who is in fear everything rustles”. The philosophy of Voltaire as it relates to fear cannot be avoided here hence it shall consequently assist us make our point in this article. He says, “Fear follows crime, and is its punishment”.
The brave and the wise fear nothing except FEAR itself. Now the world fear connotes being shocked, feeling of insecurity, being startled. Its Greek form ‘phobos’ as kittle G. (1974) observes, “Is used for sudden and violent fear, fright, panic’. In its verbal form, it carries reasonable senses: ‘to put to flight”, “to terrify”, “to be frightened,” “to be apprehensive.”
It is interesting to note here that in ancient Greek mythology, fear was depicted as a real and powerful deity. In order of hierarchy, it was placed after Zeus and before all other gods and goddesses. In ancient Sparta, a temple was built in honour of the god-fear. Unlike the ancient, the contemporary age sees fear as one of the depraved emotions which can be stirred up and controlled.
In Paul’s theology, fear is a spirit thus he talked of “Spirit of fear” as is evident in II Tim 1:17. For Dominian, there is no definition of fear rather he chose to describe fear as a “phobic state”. Irwin sees fear as a “phobic anxiety state”. Fredric Neumann defined phobia as “an excessive or unreasonable fear that leads a person to avoid a particular object or situation”. For Comer Ronald J. “A phobia is a persistent and unreasonable fear of a particular object, activity or situation”.
It is obvious hitherto that fear is an emotion that leads a subject to aversion from the object, activity or situation that is perceived or imagined as dangerous. Without going into detailed analysis of fear and its kind, it is imperative to state here that environment can condition perception and imagination. Parental upbringing, school influence and peer group do influence perception and imagination.
In Nigeria, the fear of kidnapping has become a constant companion for many, a shadow that follows them wherever they go. From the bustling streets of Abuja to the rural communities of the East, the threat of abduction looms large, casting a pall of fear over the nation. Thomas Hobbes once said, “The life of man is solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.” In Nigeria, this fear has become a harsh reality, with kidnappers striking at will, leaving a trail of devastation and despair. Every journey, whether by road or air, is a gamble with fate.
Travellers live in constant fear of being waylaid by kidnappers, their lives held hostage to the whims of their abductors. The roads, once a symbol of freedom and connectivity, have become a no-man’s-land, where the rule of the gun prevails. Kudos to some of our security agents that are trying their best in safe-guiding most of our roads, if not them, the worse would have happened. As Jean-Paul Sartre noted, “Man is condemned to be free; because once thrown into the world, he is responsible for everything he does.” In Nigeria, this freedom is a luxury few can afford.
From the North to the East, West to South, the story is the same: fear, anxiety, and uncertainty. The Fulani herdsmen and bandits often cited as the perpetrators of these heinous crimes, have become a household name, striking fear into the hearts of Nigerians. Karl Marx observed, “The ruling ideas of each age have ever been the ideas of its ruling class.” In Nigeria, the ruling idea is fear, perpetuated by the powerful and the powerful few who exploit the nation’s resources. The statistics are alarming: hundreds of kidnappings, scores of lives lost, and millions of naira paid in ransom. The impact on the economy is significant, with investors fleeing the country in droves. As Adam Smith noted, “The wealth of nations is not measured by the abundance of its riches, but by the character of its people.” Nigeria’s character is being tested, and it is found wanting.
The Federal Government is on top of the issue of insecurity in Nigeria but it appears their effort is not enough. The sponsors of insecurity are indeed in a big business deal with Nigerian lives. Frantz Fanon observed, “The colonialist bourgeoisie is aided and abetted in its pacification of the masses by the intellectuals, who are always ready to justify the colonial system.” In Nigeria, the intellectuals are silent, while the masses suffer. The people demand action, but the government seems paralyzed, unable to take decisive action to tackle the scourge of kidnapping. As Nelson Mandela noted, “The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” Nigeria must rise to the challenge, to reclaim its streets, and restore the rule of law.