Trust me, but for Ghanaians unparalleled tolerance, Taylor would have brought Rwanda to Ghana!

Let no Ghanaian delude him/herself in thinking that hate speech, instigation, and incitement are the same as free speech and freedom of opinion and expression, far from it. In fact, there is difference.

Mind you, free speech and the right to freedom of opinion and expression denote the ideas of all kinds, including those that may be deemed offensive.

However, hate speech – the advocacy of hatred based on nationality, race, tribe or religion – occupies an exceptional position in international law, and therefore states are obliged to prohibit all forms of hate speech.

Incitement conveys a "general label to cover any use of words or other device by which a person is requested, urged, advised, and counselled, tempted, commanded, or otherwise enticed to commit a crime."

Whereas the right to freedom of opinion and expression is encapsulated in international law -Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Article 20(2) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights forbids hate speech.

More so, free speech and freedom of opinion and expression may be subject to restrictions, but these shall only be such as are ‘provided by law and are necessary: restrict in the public interest on grounds of national security, to preserve public order, to protect public

health, to maintain moral standards, to secure due recognition and respect for the rights and freedoms of others or to meet the just requirements of the

general welfare of a democratic society’.

Much as politicians and their teeming supporters are desperately seeking power, it does not in any way give them an audacity to engage in needless hate speech and incitements as means to score cheap political points.

In the past, hate speech, instigation, and incitements, have, unfortunately, culminated in conflicts in countries like Rwanda, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Zimbabwe, amongst others.

Mind you, the conflicts in those countries did not happen overnight; the perpetrators started the process gradually. They wanted to win power at all cost .

The conflicts in Rwanda in 1994, Kenya on 27 December 2007, and in Zimbabwe on 29 March 2008 underscore the consequences of hate speech and incitements.

As a matter of fact, Ghana, your country, my country, must not and cannot go that way!

We must not lose sight of the fact that most civil wars, crimes and genocides which were perpetrated against humanity were arguably expedited through the use of hate speech aimed at securing popular support for illegal and violent action.

The use of hate speech, unfortunately, has continued in the past and in the modern era. We can cite the Nazi hate speech which preceded the Holocaust, the Radio and Television hate speech which preceded the Rwandan Genocide and al-Qaeda hate speech which preceded the attacks on ‘World Trade Centre on September 11, 2001.

Recently, The social media ‘Bin Ladin’, Kevin Taylor, who domiciles in the U.S, came out and audaciously told the good people of Ghana that he has been hired by President Mahama to ‘insult’ his critics and adversaries in the name of politics(emphasis mine).

Kevin Taylor’s chilling revelation could well explain why he impudently incites, attacks, and insults Ghanaians and yet gets protection from the Mahama administration.

If you would recall, between July and August 2025, while in Ghana, the abusive Kevin Taylor was set free over his charges of smearing a judge and a competent court of jurisdiction.

More regrettably, it was alleged that the state used the taxpayers money to protect the insulting Kevin Taylor and his family whilst in Ghana. How bizarre?

Fellow Ghanaians, let’s be honest, isn’t it disgusting that our leaders would put our resources at the disposal of the irresponsible Kevin Taylor?

In fact, voluminous evidence can be found on the social media platforms on how the boisterous Kevin Taylor blasphemously talking down the Quran and The Bible with unabashed disgust.

The social media ‘Bin Ladin’, Kevin Taylor, has somehow found it convenient to preach hate speech and incitement and abuse all sorts of people, including the Asantehene, the Akyemhene, the Volta chiefs, the Fante chiefs, the priests, amongst others, without being reprimanded by the Mahama administration.

The vociferous Kevin Taylor evidently insults people indiscriminately, and once insolently vowed to burn some chiefs and their palaces.

Tell me, fellow Ghanaians,, what is more offensive than that?

Kevin Taylor has regrettably been hiding behind the cloak of freedom of opinion and expression and persistently abusing innocent people, and, inciting hate speech day in and day out, without being admonished.

Notwithstanding the fact that incitement, instigation, abetment and solicitation are all common to various criminal codes world-wide, including Ghana.

The strident Kevin Taylor has consistently been trampling upon the living, the dead, the spirits, and the gods, without being admonished.

Needless to say, Article 20(2) of the ICCPR requires states to prohibit hate speech: “Any advocacy of national, tribe, racial or religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence”.

We hereby beseech the reckless Ghanaian politicians and their careless teeming supporters to refrain from any acts of hate speech and incitement which can disturb the peace and security of the country.

May God bless our homeland Ghana!
K. Badu, UK.
[email protected]