29th
November, 2024
PRESS
RELEASE:
GOTV
FORCING CHRISTIANITY ON NIGERIAN MUSLIMS – MURIC
The
international cable television network, GOTV, has been accused of forcing
Christian televangelism on Nigerian Muslims.
The
allegation was made by an Islamic human rights organization, the Muslim Rights
Concern (MURIC). In a widely circulated press release signed by its Executive
Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, the organization demanded stoppage of the use
of ‘Faith’ channel on the first Channel of GOTV with immediate effect,
describing it as offensive, nauseating and denigrating.
The
full press release says:
“A
plethora of complaints has flooded the headquarters of the Muslim Rights
Concern (MURIC) in the past 30 days concerning the disturbing allocation of a
prime channel on the popular international cable television network, GOTV, to ‘Faith’,
a popular Christian programme used for televangelism.
“According
to the complainants, the first channel on GOTV which used to feature the
advertisement of programmes on its other channels has now been dedicated to ‘Faith’
alone such that users of GOTV are compelled to watch the Christian channel
willy-nilly once they switch on their television sets.
“This
is an obvious extension of trammadolised religiousity to a provocative level, a
strangulation of Nigerian Muslims with a Christianised hangman’s noose and a grinding
subjection of the totality of the Nigerian Muslim psyche to trauma, assault and
derision. It is offensive, nauseating and denigrating.
“GOTV
is taking undue advantage of its licence, abusing its priviledged position and infringing
on Allah-given fundamental human rights of Muslims to use of television, choice
of programme and freedom to navigate television channels.
“On
behalf of more than 130 million Nigerians, MURIC demands immediate cessation of
the ‘Faith’ programme on this prime channel and its return to its former
channel or any other of GOTV’s choice.
“By allocating
its first channel to the Christian ‘Faith’ televangel programme, GOTV has made Christianity
its numero uno agenda in the country and relegated Islam to the bottom
of the pyramid. It is religious apartheid and Nigerian Muslims will not accept relegation to third class
citizenship in a country where they enjoy comfortable demographic lead.
“For
a starter, Nigerian Muslims will be forced to start de-subscribing from GOTV if
this obnoxious, prejudiced and ill-advised practice is not halted within seven
days counting from Monday, 2nd December, 2024. Other peaceful,
legitimate and constitutional anti-GOTV actions may follow as deemed necessary
if the service provider fails to comply.
“Meanwhile,
MURIC appeals to Nigerian Muslims to continue to exercise patience and to remain
peaceful and calm. We must not give in to provocation, lawlessness and violence.
The law is on our side and we have the right to reject a service provider that
has no respect for our faith or for its Muslim customers.”
“GOTV
will also do better by returning to its original practice whereby the last
station watched by consumers opens immediately they switch on their television
sets. Nigerians are going through enough stress and GOTV has no right to escalate
tension in the nation’s anatomy.”
#GOTV
#RespectMuslimCustomers
Professor
Ishaq Akintola,
Founder/Executive
Director,
Muslim
Rights Concern (MURIC)
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