A coalition of media watchdog organizations, including the League of Public Affairs Analysts and South East Media Professionals Network, has submitted a formal petition to the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), calling for “swift actions against Arise TV and Dr. Reuben Abati for unprofessional and divisive comments made during the Arise TV Breakfast Show on November 21, 2024.”
The petitioners expressed serious concerns about the remarks made by Dr. Abati on live TV, which they said only went further to perpetuate “harmful stereotypes against the Igbo”, warning that such statements “wittingly or unwittingly also give potency to the dangerous and extremist views of groups like Lagospidia whose incendiary statements on the Nigerian ethnic mix constantly exacerbate ethnic tensions in an already delicate socio-political climate.”
In the petition signed by Dr. Ambrose Igboke, Coordinator, Southeast Media Professionals Network, the Coalition stressed that Abati’s reference to the Igbo people in a broad, negative context risks inflaming ethnic tensions and promoting dangerous generalizations, adding that “this kind of action was what ignited the Rwandan genocide where the Hutu and Tutsi engaged in a fratricidal war of extermination. It all started with a radio broadcast.”
“Abati’s comments were quickly weaponized by groups known for their anti-Igbo sentiments, fueling divisive narratives that undermine national unity,” the coalition media watchdog organisations said, pointing out that “his hostile response to is colleague, Ms. Ojy Okpe, on the following day’s broadcast, demonstrated a troubling unethical on-air conduct that only showed Abati as having total disregard for professional journalistic standards.”
Insisting that Abati’s remarks and behavior constitute a breach of the Nigerian Broadcasting Code, which prohibits content that incites division or promotes hate speech, the petitioners, therefore, urged the NBC to, among others:
a) To investigate the broadcast by conducting a thorough review of Dr. Abati’s remarks and the editorial lapses that allowed such conduct to air.
b) Hold Arise TV accountable by mandating a public apology from the TV station while ensuring improved editorial guidelines by the station to prevent similar incidents in the future.
c) Impose appropriate sanctions on Abati for his professional misconduct, including ordering him to tender an on-air apology to the viewing public for his unwarranted profiling of the Igbo, thereby assaulting the sensitivities of millions of the nation’s television viewers.
d) Encourage Arise TV to air programmes that foster unity and counteract the divisive narratives maliciously promoted by some of its principal anchors.
e) Collaborate with relevant authorities to prevent the misuse of broadcast platforms by extremist groups.
Calling for responsible journalism practice in Nigeria, the petitioners reminded the NBC that as the regulator of broadcast content in the country, it is incumbent on the organization to ensure that some misguided practitioners and ethnic jingoists do not use their privileged positions on media platforms to insult others by weaponizing their cultural biases under the guise of informed comments.
“In a nation as diverse as Nigeria, the media plays a critical role in fostering unity. While open dialogue is essential in a democracy, it must be rooted in responsibility and respect. The petition underscores the urgent need for media practitioners to uphold ethical standards and avoid stoking divisions that threaten national cohesion,” the Coalition surmised.