FG, Yesterday, the Federal Government of Nigeria sent a strong warning to political, religious, and opinion leaders to stop making inciting statements capable of setting the country ablaze was met with outrage.
Earlier in the day, the UNWTO’s second Global Tourism Investment Forum and the 64th Conference of the UN World Tourism Organization, UNWTO, Commission were held in Sal Island, Cape Verde.
As a result of his warning, regional groups such as Afenifere, Ohanaeze Ndigbo (the pan-Yoruba socio-political organization), PANDEF, MBF, and ADF (the Alaigbo Development Foundation) were outraged.
However, the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) disagreed with the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and asked Muslim and Christian leaders to tone down their rhetoric.
Press is cautioned by a government official
While speaking to the Nigerian News Agency, NAN, on a separate occasion, Minister Ayodele urged Nigerians to abide by broadcast codes and other regulations governing the media, particularly radio and television stations.
There was a lot of incendiary rhetoric coming out of the broadcast media in the last few weeks.
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Some opinion-makers and political leaders use incendiary rhetoric that has the potential to set the country ablaze.
In part, this is due to the rhetoric pitting one ethnic group and one religion against the other, which inflames the political climate.
He further said that all stakeholders in the news and print media must be aware of their leadership role in averting the crisis situation in Nigeria.
‘Our serious advice to all stakeholders is to be aware of and remember that leadership comes with many responsibilities,’ he said.
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Every war is preceded by this kind of mindless rhetoric, especially when it comes from otherwise responsible people who the people have a tendency to take seriously.
A radio station and an extremist magazine set the stage for the 1994 Rwandan genocide, which resulted in the deaths of more than 800,000 people.
His belief is that hateful and incendiary rhetoric from various radio stations and online publications in recent weeks can cause panic and further polarize the country along religious and ethnic lines as a result of this.
There are certainly challenges, but the government is doing everything it can to address insecurity, banditry, insurrections, and fix the economy.
Support and encouragement are what one would have expected from these leaders during this trying time. As a result of their lack of foresight, leadership and maturity have been replaced by who can say something that can break this country.
“Words like genocide and ethnic cleansing, which we previously avoided using, are now dominating the media.
‘That’s why it’s so important to call everyone into order and appeal to their sense of patriotism,’ he said.
They will no longer be leaders, but servants in other countries if what they are praying for comes to pass, he explained.
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National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) and other regulators will ensure that broadcast stations adhere to laws and ethics, the minister stated.
He further promised to “show the red card” to any station or media that violated the broadcast code and ethics.
recently the Nigerian government banned the microblogging app Twitter for being used as a tool for national disunity.
