Don’t Set Nigeria Ablaze With Incendiary Rhetoric, FG Warns Leaders

The Federal Government has admonished political, religious
leaders and opinion moulders to stop spewing incendiary rhetoric
capable of setting the country ablaze.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed,
gave the admonition while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria
(NAN) on Wednesday in Sal Island, Cape Verde.

NAN reports that the minister is in Cape Verde to attend the
64th Conference of the UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO)
Commission for Africa and the Second Edition of the UNWTO Global
Tourism Investment Forum.

Speaking on the sideline of the global events, the minister also
cautioned the media, particularly broadcast stations which are the
purveyors of incendiary rhetoric, to abide by broadcast codes and
other regulations guiding them.

“In the last few weeks, the country has been awash, especially
from the broadcast media, with very incendiary rhetoric which has
created a sort of panic in Nigeria.

“The incendiary rhetoric that comes from political, religious
leaders and some opinion moulders have the capacity to set the
country on fire.

“This is because the rhetoric is pitting one ethnic group and
religion against the other and overheating the polity.

“Our serious counsel to stakeholders is that they should
understand and remember that leadership comes with a lot of
responsibilities, tone down the hateful rhetoric because they are
harmful for the country

“They should remember that every war is preceded by these kind
of mindless rhetoric, especially when it comes from otherwise
responsible people who the people have the tendency to take
seriously,’’ he said.

The minister recalled the incidence in Rwandan where a radio
station and one extremist magazine set the stage for the genocide
that killed more than 800,000 people in 1994.

He said the cacophony of hate and incendiary rhetoric from
various radio stations and online publications in recent week were
capable of causing panic, further divide the country along
religious and ethnic lines.

“We agree that there are challenges but the government is doing
its best in addressing insecurity, banditry, insurrections and
fixing the economy.

“What one expected from these leaders at this trying period is
support and encouragement.

“It is, however, quite disturbing that they have thrown caution
to the winds and it is no longer about leadership and maturity but
about who can say something that can break this country.

“Certain words that we were afraid of using before such as
genocide and ethnic cleansing, are now taking over the media
waves.

“That is why it is important to call everybody to order to
appeal to their sense of patriotism that they should understand
that because there is a country called Nigeria, that is why they
are leaders.

“If what they are praying for happens, they will no longer be
leaders but servants in other countries,’’ he said.

The minister said the National Broadcasting Commission and other
regulators would ensure that broadcast stations abide by statutory
laws and ethics.

He said any station that violated the broadcast code and ethics
would be “shown the red card“. (NAN)

The Federal Government has admonished political, religious
leaders and opinion moulders to stop spewing incendiary rhetoric
capable of setting the country ablaze.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed,
gave the admonition while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria
(NAN) on Wednesday in Sal Island, Cape Verde.

NAN reports that the minister is in Cape Verde to attend the
64th Conference of the UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO)
Commission for Africa and the Second Edition of the UNWTO Global
Tourism Investment Forum.

Speaking on the sideline of the global events, the minister also
cautioned the media, particularly broadcast stations which are the
purveyors of incendiary rhetoric, to abide by broadcast codes and
other regulations guiding them.

“In the last few weeks, the country has been awash, especially
from the broadcast media, with very incendiary rhetoric which has
created a sort of panic in Nigeria.

“The incendiary rhetoric that comes from political, religious
leaders and some opinion moulders have the capacity to set the
country on fire.

“This is because the rhetoric is pitting one ethnic group and
religion against the other and overheating the polity.

“Our serious counsel to stakeholders is that they should
understand and remember that leadership comes with a lot of
responsibilities, tone down the hateful rhetoric because they are
harmful for the country

“They should remember that every war is preceded by these kind
of mindless rhetoric, especially when it comes from otherwise
responsible people who the people have the tendency to take
seriously,’’ he said.

The minister recalled the incidence in Rwandan where a radio
station and one extremist magazine set the stage for the genocide
that killed more than 800,000 people in 1994.

He said the cacophony of hate and incendiary rhetoric from
various radio stations and online publications in recent week were
capable of causing panic, further divide the country along
religious and ethnic lines.

“We agree that there are challenges but the government is doing
its best in addressing insecurity, banditry, insurrections and
fixing the economy.

“What one expected from these leaders at this trying period is
support and encouragement.

“It is, however, quite disturbing that they have thrown caution
to the winds and it is no longer about leadership and maturity but
about who can say something that can break this country.

“Certain words that we were afraid of using before such as
genocide and ethnic cleansing, are now taking over the media
waves.

“That is why it is important to call everybody to order to
appeal to their sense of patriotism that they should understand
that because there is a country called Nigeria, that is why they
are leaders.

“If what they are praying for happens, they will no longer be
leaders but servants in other countries,’’ he said.

The minister said the National Broadcasting Commission and other
regulators would ensure that broadcast stations abide by statutory
laws and ethics.

He said any station that violated the broadcast code and ethics
would be “shown the red card“. (NAN)