“This is the year to embrace justice, excellence, consistency, honesty and ethical behaviours that would go ahead to make your year the best ever. So, the slang ‘No Gree for Anybody’ is not totally a red flag. However, people must be careful with their interpretation and implementation of it, especially in avoiding seeing it as a ticket for violence and selfishness where peace and love should reign.”
The internet is known to periodically whip up some slangs that gain wide acceptance among a large demography that constitutes its space. These slangs have always transcended from being a virtual sensation to being a physical phenomenon that get to impact the lifestyles of people who imbibe them. Currently, in the Nigerian internet space, the slang: ‘No Gree for Anybody’ has gone viral with a chunk of the internet population embracing its philosophy that has since raised concerns in some quarters in the country.
Last week, the Nigeria Police Force through its spokesman Muyiwa Adejobi cautioned against the use of the slogan while noting how the catchphrase is capable of “plunging Nigeria into a crisis of monumental proportions”.
Almost immediately that caution from the Force was out in the public space, the Nigerian Army through its Director of Defence Media Operations, Edward Buba admonished Nigerians to not ‘gree for terrorists’ in 2024, a statement that borrows and jumps on the slogan trend.
You then ask: how much of a security red flag or green flag is the slogan: ‘No gree for anybody’. To start with, the slang ‘No gree for anybody’ can be literally interpreted to mean ‘do not tolerate any form of nonsense from anybody’ or ‘do not allow yourself to be bullied by anyone.’ In other words, the slang is a message that one should endeavour to look out for one’s personal security, and by extension interests.
However, this does not ignore the excess part that could arise from a wrong interpretation and enforcement of the slogan. This other part of the slogan can promote a ‘grab all for me mentality’ or a license to violence where peace could have worked. Ideally, as a people given the peculiarities of the country’s security system, having this slogan translate to community and personal security is ideal such that you don’t tolerate any form of compromise to your security and that of your neighbours, ensuring that the right steps to averting dangers or addressing a potential crisis situation are taken.
In other words, you are not ‘agreeing’ to break down of peace or violation of law and order in your society. So no gree for crime, violence and insecurity. Work with the appropriate security agencies to ensure that none of these anomalies find themselves to your space.
In the social space, commit to not allowing yourself give in to hate, discrimination, jealousy, violence, self-centeredness that some people have allowed to characterize their lives to the point that it keeps sinking them to their oblivion.
This year is the year to say ‘No’ to all of that and pursue with love with all men for the sake of peace that promotes and preserves. In your workspace and business, kick against injustice, unprofessionalism, subpar performance, inconsistency, dishonesty, nepotism, ethical violations that retard your growth and that of your business.
This is the year to embrace justice, excellence, consistency, honesty and ethical behaviours that would go ahead to make your year the best ever. So, the slang ‘No Gree for Anybody’ is not totally a red flag. However, people must be careful with their interpretation and implementation of it, especially in avoiding seeing it as a ticket for violence and selfishness where peace and love should reign.
Be Perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace, and the God of love and peace shall be with you. John 16:3Prof. Ofonime Emmanuel Bassey is a Leadership, Security, Peace and Conflict Resolution Coach with decades of experience in the practice and promotion of Law Enforcement, Peace and Security through the Nigeria Police and the United Nations. He has served and interacted at the top level management of the Nigeria Police as well as internationally as a United Nation’s Monitor/Mentor in Kosovo, Europe. A professor of Peace Advocacy and Conflict Resolution, Ofonime is a certified United Nation’s Trainer, and currently the Director of ICOF Institute of Leadership, Peace and Conflict Resolution in Africa. With his marks well-established in Peace Leadership both in Nigeria and Africa. Currently, he is the President, NISSI Safety Management Institute: An Institute famous for Peace Leadership.Presently, he is spearheading a campaign tagged “The Next Peace Leaders”, a campaign that is billed to run from 2022-2030 with a target of training 37,000 young peace leaders. For leadership, conflict, peace and security consultations and trainings, reach him via: Facebook: Dr. O.E BasseyLinkedIn: Dr. O.E BasseyTwitter: Dr. O.E BasseyWhatsApp: +2347065828892Mail: emmanuelbassey@gmail.com
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