Activist and lawyer Deji Adeyanju has applauded President Bola Tinubu’s recent call for tolerance of political critics, urging him to go a step further by leading reforms that protect free speech in Nigeria.
Speaking in response to Tinubu’s remarks during his visit to Benue State, Adeyanju said the President’s message signals a refreshing shift from the usual clampdown on dissent. In Benue, Tinubu had urged politicians and the state Governor especially to stop attacking their critics and instead learn from them. He also instructed security agencies not to punish the man who confronted him during his Kaduna visit, this was to the amazement of many Nigerians.
“This is leadership. By asking politicians to learn from critics, Tinubu has sent a strong message that freedom of expression is not a crime,” Adeyanju said in a statement released on June 21.
He described the President’s directive as a positive move that must be followed by action—not just words.
Adeyanju also challenged security agencies like the Nigeria Police Force to stop acting as enforcers for the powerful. “Too often, they are used to arrest, harass or intimidate people simply for speaking out. That has to end,” he stated.
He called on President Tinubu to champion the urgent cause of decriminalizing defamation in Nigeria, insisting that this outdated law is often used to suppress free speech and silence dissenting voices.
“Freedom of speech must come with freedom after speech. That’s how we build a real democracy,” Adeyanju added.
He further urged traditional leaders, religious figures, and other political players to adopt the same tone of tolerance and openness to criticism, describing it as key to strengthening democratic values across the country.
