CHAPTER ONE
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INTRODUCTION
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1
acknowledges the fundamental nature of this right and asserts the right to freedom of speech. It is well known that even state with the most widely political, economics, and social policies find it necessary to recognize the right. The fact that the rights of expression can neither be trampled upon nor truncatedÂÂÂ
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See Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.ÂÂÂ
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 either by persons or authorities shows that it is so fundamental to existence. As an author put it, whoever must over throw the liberty of a nation just begin by subduing the freeness of speech2.
Constitutionally, section 36 of the 1979 constitution (now section 39 of the (1999 constitution), stated that every citizen has the fundamental of information, ideas, and opinions, including the right to own, establish and operate any school or institution for imparting information, ideas and opinion. Section 223
of the constitution clearly out-lines the role the press thus, the radio, television and other agencies of the mass media shall at all time be free to uphold the responsibility and accountability of the government to the people. The role of a responsible press should play in any policy, irrespective of the ideological foundation on which it is based, or the ownership structure of the universal conception that freedom of press and expression are so fundamental that the law tends to obstruct any of the two ideas, cannot be properly so called.