44
LAGOS, Nigeria — The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has criticized worldwide cable tv community GOTV for airing the Christian televangelism programme Religion on its main channel, describing the choice as “offensive” and “denigrating” to Muslims in Nigeria.
In a press release launched Friday and signed by its Government Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, MURIC demanded that GOTV instantly relocate the programme to a distinct channel and restore the primary channel to its earlier function, which was primarily used for promoting.
The advocacy group expressed considerations that the Religion programme, which focuses on Christian non secular content material, now occupies a default channel that viewers encounter upon turning on their televisions. MURIC argues that this configuration successfully imposes Christian content material on viewers of different faiths, describing the scenario as tantamount to “non secular apartheid.”
“This resolution infringes on the rights of Muslim viewers, violating their freedom to decide on programming with out being subjected to undesirable non secular content material,” the assertion learn.
The group known as the transfer divisive and unjust to Muslims, urging GOTV to rethink the location of Religion to keep up neutrality and equity in its programming.
Ultimatum and Peaceable Motion
MURIC has given GOTV a one-week ultimatum, expiring on December 9, 2024, to make the required adjustments. Failure to conform, the group warned, might immediate peaceable protests, together with encouraging Muslim subscribers to unsubscribe from the service.
“We attraction to Nigerian Muslims to stay calm and peaceable. We should not give in to provocation or violence. The legislation is on our aspect, and we now have the fitting to reject a service supplier that disregards our religion,” Akintola mentioned.
MURIC additionally known as on GOTV to reinstate its unique configuration, which allowed the last-viewed channel to seem when customers switched on their televisions.
Broader Considerations
The controversy arises at a time of heightened sensitivity to spiritual coexistence in Nigeria, the place tensions over points perceived as biased towards one religion or one other have usually led to public discourse and protests. MURIC’s assertion emphasised the significance of equity in company practices to keep away from escalating societal tensions.
“Nigerians are already grappling with vital stress, and GOTV has no proper to amplify this rigidity by means of insensitivity,” the assertion concluded.
GOTV has but to reply to the allegations or the ultimatum.
Submit Views: 73
