African politicians advised against hate speech

Prof. Nana Amfo of the University of Legon, Ghana on Wednesday urged African politicians to stop the use of hate speech as such contradicts the dictate of African culture and tradition.

Amfo gave the advice in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on the sidelines of the maiden edition of National Workshop of the Nigerian Pragmatics Association in Lagos in conjunction with Department of English, Lagos State University (LASU).

The Workshop has the theme: ‘Current Trends in Pragmatics Research: Theory and Practice.’

She said African politicians must go back to their cultural values, if they must get it right politically.

According to her, African culture and tradition prescribe how things should be done or said, in what circumstances, when and where it should be said.

“If our politicians could recognise this, go back to our African cultural values and stop thinking that democracy provides us to say whatever we want in whatever way, then, there might be hope for a united continent.

Amfo said this was because the right thing said at the wrong time would not have the effect intended.

She noted that while it was not odd to disagree with someone, such action must be done politely.

“In the African context, we do not talk of unpleasant things in a very unmannered form.

“As far as I know, in the African cultural values, you do not insult or engage in hate speeches.

According to her, during a disagreement, an African could use various language strategies, such as proverbs, idioms to make polite and indirect expressions rather than the use of hate speeches.

Amfo also said that once leaders adhered to the dictate of the African culture politically, true democracy would be attained as clamoured.