My parents taught me to listen to people, irrespective of class, age or qualification because within every man, there's some form of wisdom to gain. Some of the knowledge may be raw and unpolished like a diamond in the dirt, while others may flow smoothly like a cool summer breeze. This upbringing inculcated a habit of listening and learning, thus ingraining the appreciation of opinions and views of people in different circumstances I found myself in life.
In this free space that we call the internet, free speech comes at a premium. You have to look at platforms like Facebook and Twitter, where nearly half of the world's population share their information. Take Facebook that has in-depth knowledge about their users, and this isn't hearsay because you can request for an HTML or PDF file containing all your information, including private chats and every comment. This information is put in the perpetual money-spinning business of information trade, turned to profit, with nothing coming your way and of course, your voice still stifled in the process.
In society today, the concept of free speech is lost amidst the propaganda and falsities that are peddled to gain impressions and attention. Centralised authorities like the Government play "custodians of the truth" and control the narrative with the intention of retaining the status quo, which in turn favours the political class and the one percent.
Society is basically a collection of people and with each, comes different problems. In advanced societies, the issues are advanced, and because I live in an obviously backward and crude society, I may not be able to wrap my mind around it completely. Through interaction with people from Europe and America, I've found that the problems there are related to more significant issues like policies, surveillance and tax but I'm more used to worrying about getting shot by the police if speak against the misrepresentation of the law or the gross negligence to the law and human rights that Nigerians contend with daily.
For most, free speech is about Government surveillance or the condemnable act of platforms like Youtube who arbitrarily choose to deplatform content creator. For me, the idea of free speech puts my very existence on a knife-edge,or to put it bluntly, speaking freely is tantamount to a death sentence subtly sanctioned by the Government.
In a society that runs on draconian policies and cold-hearted policies that are hugely dependent on Darwinism and hushed voices, the only item of real value is money. If you have it, you have the law, and if you don't, you have yourself to blame. This was quite evident with the case of Nnamdi Kanu and Dadiyata, two individuals who exercised their freedom of speech and started movements that were stifled through brute force and aberration of justice sanctioned by the Government. Their stories have been over flogged by various outlets and serve as skull on a pike deterrent for anyone foolish enough to have a contrary view.
In my society, free speech isn't just something about the internet or some fad to garner upvotes. It is a reality that could literally be the end of my life, and as I said, it is something that's systematically being drafted into law. Take the ridiculous "Hate Speech Bill" that spelt out some innocuous points that may translate to a death that despite being campaigned against is slowly being passed into law or the Social Media Bill that the Centre for Democracy and Development describes as a disturbing attempt to muzzle free speech that obviously serve the agenda of the elites/political class.
In the general scheme of things, free speech or the idea of it has usually been controlled by platforms, and with the mainstream media, you can only work within the limits of ratings. Radios, TV stations and most websites need an angle, so in reality, you have no friends. This highlights the importance of censorship-resistant platforms like 
I'm not asking for right, wrong or a revolution, nor am I asking for truth or otherwise, I'm asking for a right to live because, without my voice, I'm as good as dead. Free speech is the epitome of freedom, and I would give my right hand to live in a society where life and freedom of expression aren't stifled by the law and a shortsighted government. So how important is #freespeech to me? It means life Sir, Free Speech is life.
