By Time Nigeria
The Director General of the National Broadcasting Commission, NBC, Mallam Is’haq Modibbo Kawu has described the Commission as a major force leading digital revolution on the continent of Africa, adding that the Commission has grown exponentially to surmount some difficulties in the last 25 years of its existence.
Speaking on Thursday at the 25th Anniversary of the nation’s broadcasting regulatory agency which coincided with the 3rd Annual Lecture of the agency, themed: “On Cosmopolitanism: Nigeria Ethnic, Politics and the Communication of Hate”. The timely occasion that gathered eminent Nigerians who came together to put a stop to the growing trend of hate speeches in Nigeria also advocated a stringent penalty for any broadcast station promoting it.
In his remarks, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed urged the NBC to ensure that broadcast stations propagating hate speeches are put to check before they set Nigeria on Fire.
The Minister who noted that hate speeches are detrimental to the progress of the nation, urged NBC to redouble its efforts in discharging its mandates by sanctioning erring stations to serve as deterrent to others, adding that NBC cannot afford to do anything less and cannot afford to fail the nation.
Also speaking at the occasion, the Special Guest of Honour, His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III who commended the leadership of NBC for the progress being made, tasked NBC to consider how to mete out real punishment on broadcast stations that defaults in the area of hate speech.
According to Sultan of Sokoto, “NBC should consider how to punish defaulting broadcast stations so that people will know that you don’t only regulate but also punish. It will kick out impunity and make them have a rethink of what to air in their stations and also learn their lessons to ensure a peaceful nation”.
He pointed out that freedom of speech is a right but should not be used to violate other people’s rights; he emphasized the urgent need for the political class and religious leaders to develop collective sense of value to ensure collective survival instead of promoting hate speech.
According to him; “As the horn for support in the political hemisphere intensifies, there is a tendency for hate speech to increase. Hate speech is borne out of hatred which begets hatred and no human society can live under hatred. As leaders, you have the responsibility to banish hate speech and hatred from the polity”.
It would be recalled that NBC at its various forum been bringing forward the issue of hate speeches on the table, more importantly, that Nigeria is approaching another general election, come 2019.