Author:

Abstract

It was Albert Einstein, a world-renowned physicist who first said that laws alone cannot secure freedom of expression; in order that every man presents his views without penalty there must be a spirit of tolerance in the entire population. By this, he posited that the safeguards of law alone could not preserve, protect or assure the continued existence and respect for human rights, particularly, freedom of expression. On the contrary, recognition, respect and protection of the freedom of expression can only be achieved by a concerted effort of the citizenry to tolerate one another’s differences despite the supremacy of their human rights. This is important even as the world continues to witness an exponential increase in the modes and mediums of expression both in person, and virtually. Even more so, as democracies continue to be threatened by State clamp down on free speech among the citizenry. This paper delves into Einstein’s postulation by examining the concepts of human rights, freedom of expression, and tolerance; and underlining the need for the latter in the propagation and preservation of the former. The paper also examines the lawful and unlawful limits to the right to freedom of expression, and practical ways of achieving tolerance amongst the citizenry, in furtherance of the fundamental right to freedom of expression. The paper goes on to suggest different approaches to engendering tolerance in the citizenry and the expected outcome. The paper concludes by aligning with the postulation of Sir Albert that indeed, tolerance is a key ingredient for preserving and enforcing freedom of expression in Nigeria, and the world over.

Keywords: Fundamental Human Rights, Human Rights Law, Freedom of expression, Tolerance