MURIC also threatened GOTV that it will direct Muslims to boycott the cable TV if it does not make amends on or before December 9
By Kehinde Okeowo
The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has accused the international cable television network, GOTV of attempting to force Christianity on Nigerian Muslims though the airing of a Christian televangelism programme on its main channel.
MURIC made this known on Friday via a statement signed by its Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola.
According to him, the programme which focuses on Christian televangelism, currently occupies a slot that was previously used for advertisements of other programmes.
He described the decision to air the programme on a prime channel of the cable TV as “offensive, nauseating, and denigrating” to Nigerian Muslims.
Akintola further argued that the change forces viewers to watch Christian content by default when they turn on their televisions, regardless of their religious beliefs.
MURIC also claimed that the action imposes Christian religious content on the Muslim population and equated it to “religious apartheid.”
It added that GOTV’s choice to feature Faith on such a prominent channel infringes on the rights of Muslim viewers, violating their freedom of choice and their right to select television programming without being confronted with unwanted religious content.
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The group maintained that this practice is divisive and unjust to Muslims in the country.
In light of this situation, MURIC demanded that GOTV should promptly relocate the Faith programme to a different channel and restore the first channel to its original function.
They also warned that if their request is not fulfilled within a week (by December 9, 2024), they may consider peaceful actions, including urging Muslims to unsubscribe from the service.
“Meanwhile, MURIC appeals to Nigerian Muslims to continue to exercise patience and to remain peaceful and calm. We must not give in to provocation, lawlessness and violence.
“The law is on our side and we have the right to reject a service provider that has no respect for our faith or for its Muslim customers.
“GOTV will also do better by returning to its original practice whereby the last station watched by consumers opens immediately they switch on their television sets.
“Nigerians are going through enough stress and GOTV has no right to escalate tension in the nation’s anatomy,” the statement added.
