Politics

Hate Speech: Nigerians attack Kawu Modibbo over comment on Saraki

 

The Director-General of the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Ishaq Modibbo Kawu was on Sunday the subject of social media attack over his comment on Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki.
Modibo was tongue lashed by Nigerians among whom are senior editors and lawyers for “spewing spurious propaganda against Saraki”.
Kawu, who has led the charge shocked many Thursday morning in a WhatsApp group of northern editors and intellectuals after going on a hate-filled tirade targeted at Senate President Bukola Saraki.
He was heavily condemned and some suggested he be disgraced out of office for promoting what had sanctioned television station for.
Members of the whatsapp group who were enraged by his posting against Saraki took turns to condemn him for carrying his hatred for Saraki too far.
Reacting to Kawu”s comment, a member of the group, Zainab Okino said “We should not allow politics to becloud our judgments and hence destroy all the principles we claim to stand for. We cannot build or grow a nation, when we remain stuck in the past; that one is not qualified for this or that because he’s not from so so state.
“Instead we should work towards being citizens of one nation identified only by residency, without labelling or profiling. This is an ideal, which I thought Modibbo espoused.
“How will he feel if Kwara people also disclaim him, having traced his origin to Wurno in Kebbi or may even be farther to Futa Jalon in Guinea, Senegal or Mali.
“We all come from somewhere, so it should not be a yardstick to assess individuals, even if they do not represent what we stand for,” Ms Okino added.
According to Premium Times, Kawu’s bilious rants were apparently aimed at consoling himself and other supporters of Buhari and the ruling APC for the recent political event in the country where the APC lost scores of state and federal lawmakers within the past week allegedly under the influence of Saraki.
According to a political analyst, Lilian Eronini which the paper also spoke to over the issue on yesterday, she said  “A public official who has been going about preaching against hate speech and imposing heaving fines against journalists and media houses should not be seen doing this.”
Ms Eronini, a Lagos-based lawyer, also slammed Kawu’s excoriation of Saraki for allegedly adding “Abubakar” to his name in order to widen his political appeal in a predominantly Muslim Kwara State.
She said Kawu lacked any moral justification to accuse anyone of modifying their name because he also added “Modibbo” to his name allegedly to ingratiate himself to the northern elite.
Kawu was formerly widely known as Olanrewaju Kawu throughout his formation years and well after he had graduated from the university. It was when he became a professional whose activities were largely concentrated in the north that he added “Modibbo” to his name, those familiar with his background reveals..
“It is really difficult to imagine his level of hypocrisy,” Ms Eronini said. “He is supposed to be relieved of his post, but we know the kind of government he serves.”
“This government does not engage in fairness or obey the rule of law,” the lawyer added. “That is why they would not punish a man who should be disgraced out of office for passing hate speech against a Senate President who has not done anything outside the law.”

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