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Media and Religious Censorship in
Nigeria
By Leo Igwe
Newsdiaryonline Sun June26,2011
Free press is critical to the growth and development of any
society and to the survival and vibrancy of any democracy.
Nigeria is said to have a free and independent media. And this
is often interpreted to mean that, in Nigeria, journalists are
going about their work without state interference. For me, this
is a narrow understanding of freedom of the press. And this
one-sided view has caused many to mischaracterize the situation
of the media in the country. The government is just one out of
many agents or actors that could undermine or muzzle the
press. Religious agencies, drug cartels, multinationals and
other business interests can hamper freedom of the press in a
country.
Today, many people tend to think that in Nigeria, there is
freedom of the press. But in actual fact there is not. In this
piece I would like to point out a very disturbing trend in the
Nigerian media. And that is religious censorship. Religious
censorship is very pronounced in the print and electronic media
in the country. By this I mean that, today in Nigeria, there are
views and reports that cannot be published or broadcast in the
media because of religious sentiments. Because such reports or
perspectives are deemed to be offensive to the religious
sensibilities of the faithful.
In principle, media agencies in Nigeria claim to be objective,
factual and balanced in their reporting. They claim to embody
ethical and professional journalism. But in practice this is not
the case particularly when it comes to religious issues.
In most cases, media agencies in Nigeria are biased, unethical
and unprofessional in their reporting. Many of what we have as
national -both privately or state owned- newspapers are in fact
religious-christian or islamic or ‘chrislamic’ dallies whose
‘unwritten policy’ is to further these religious interests. Very
often the newspapers do not reflect the diversity of views,
opinions and perspectives in terms of religious belief and
unbelief. Their news, reports and opinions are biased towards
religions-Christianity and Islam only. Every week, most media
agencies in the country devote a lot of time and space to mainly
christian and religious prayers, preaching and propagation. Most
radio and television stations start their daily broadcast with
christian and/or islamic prayers, devotions and reflections.
Meanwhile such opportunities are not extended to those who
profess other faiths or none. Still media agencies claim to be
free, fair, impartial and objective in their reporting and
publications.
Most media houses in Nigeria do not allow- publish or broadcast
views other than or that are critical of religious doctrines
particularly christian and islamic dogmas. So, where lies the
objectivity, ethical and professional journalism when the
perspectives of those who hold contrary opinions or those who
belong to religious minorities or those who profess no faith are
completely shut out or censored.
Some of our so-called state and privately owned newspapers,
television and radio stations in Northern Nigeria that only
publish or broadcast islamic or pro-islam teachings and
preaching. They do not approve the publication or broadcast of
perspective that is critical of Islam. And no one dares question
this outrageous media policy.
Also in Southern Nigeria, there are some state or privately
owned newspapers, radio and television stations that only
publish or broadcast christian or pro christian news and
reports. Any report other than or critical of christianity, no
matter how factual and objective it is, will not be approved by
the editorial or management team. Some of the radio and
television stations in South east and South South are as good as
the
Vatican
radio. They are christian media outfits. One of the main reasons
for religious censorship in the media is because our media
agencies are owned or managed by christian and islamic
fanatics who use their public offices or private businesses to
promote their faiths. They regard their jobs, offices and
businesses as tools of evangelism, jihad and religious
propaganda. Their media agencies are extensions of their
churches and mosques.
Also our media houses are populated with mostly journalists who
double as priests, pastors, imams and Ustaz. And as those
supposedly called by God or Allah, they do not want to report or
be seen to be reporting or publishing anything critical or
contrary to their faiths. They use their ‘pen’ or talentsto
defend their faith and further the cause of God or Allah.
Religious censorship is not good for our media and for the
development of the country particularly in this age of
information technology. Some of the views which our electronic
and print media houses suppress or censor get published any way.
Many people who cannot have their religious or non religious
views published in the mainstream media, can now post or publish
them on the internet. So media houses that practice religious
censorship risk losing their credibility and market as a source
of objective and reliable information.
In conclusion, Nigeria is a country whose democracy, peace,
security and development is threatened by religious
fundamentalism. Since independence, Nigeria has witnessed
protracted religious crisis mainly in Northern Nigeria.
Thousands of Nigerians have lost their lives to religious riots.
And recently an islamist group, Boko Haram, launched a violent
campaign against the government and state agencies. The members
have carried out attacks on public places including the Force
Headquarters in
Abuja
and have killed many security agents and civilians.
Nigerians need a free and uncensored media to safeguard their
democracy and combat the dark and destructive influence of
religions. The media agencies in the country must do away with
religious censorship in other to generate ideas and reliable
information which the state and its citizens need to tackle and
address the menace of religious fanaticism and other faith-based
problems.
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