LAGOS, Nigeria — The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has criticized international cable television network GOTV for airing the Christian televangelism programme Faith on its primary channel, describing the decision as “offensive” and “denigrating” to Muslims in Nigeria.
In a statement released Friday and signed by its Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, MURIC demanded that GOTV immediately relocate the programme to a different channel and restore the first channel to its previous purpose, which was primarily used for advertising.
The advocacy group expressed concerns that the Faith programme, which focuses on Christian religious content, now occupies a default channel that viewers encounter upon turning on their televisions. MURIC argues that this configuration effectively imposes Christian content on viewers of other faiths, describing the situation as tantamount to “religious apartheid.”
“This decision infringes on the rights of Muslim viewers, violating their freedom to choose programming without being subjected to unwanted religious content,” the statement read.
The organization called the move divisive and unjust to Muslims, urging GOTV to reconsider the placement of Faith to maintain neutrality and fairness in its programming.
Ultimatum and Peaceful Action
MURIC has given GOTV a one-week ultimatum, expiring on December 9, 2024, to make the necessary changes. Failure to comply, the group warned, may prompt peaceful protests, including encouraging Muslim subscribers to unsubscribe from the service.
“We appeal to Nigerian Muslims to remain calm and peaceful. We must not give in to provocation or violence. The law is on our side, and we have the right to reject a service provider that disregards our faith,” Akintola said.
MURIC also called on GOTV to reinstate its original configuration, which allowed the last-viewed channel to appear when users switched on their televisions.
Broader Concerns
The controversy arises at a time of heightened sensitivity to religious coexistence in Nigeria, where tensions over issues perceived as biased toward one faith or another have often led to public discourse and protests. MURIC’s statement emphasized the importance of fairness in corporate practices to avoid escalating societal tensions.
“Nigerians are already grappling with significant stress, and GOTV has no right to amplify this tension through insensitivity,” the statement concluded.
GOTV has yet to respond to the allegations or the ultimatum.