N.B.
This address was written by Ahmed Abdulkadir, Zonal Director, National Broadcasting Commission, Kaduna Zone.
This address was written by Ahmed Abdulkadir, Zonal Director, National Broadcasting Commission, Kaduna Zone.
PROTOCOL:
Ladies and Gentlemen, it is with mixed feelings that I find
it necessary to address you today at this occasion. Mixed feelings of pleasure and at the same
time sadness.
As a regulator, it is always pleasurable for the National
Broadcasting Commission (NBC) – and I suppose, to the licensees too – to meet
with you to talk about issues relating to broadcasting, because no matter what,
we end up discussing broadcast issues that are beneficial to the industry in
Nigeria and in this way we, wittingly or unwittingly move broadcasting a level
higher.
Today, however, it pains me to have to address you because
recent developments in Kano have the potential and tendency to, rather, pull
the broadcast industry a step lower, negatively.
I recall that last year in January, precisely, the Kaduna
Zonal Director of the NBC had cause to come to Kano and talk to some of you
over a similar issue. Sadly, the same
issue has cropped up again and is raising concern to us.
It is of concern to us because, for media houses to engage in
war of words that are capable of pulling down each other, those media houses
are definitely derailing. They are
certainly acting outside the ambit of the law.
Because some sections of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code (4.6.1 &
3.9.1) say:
“No individual or organization shall be treated in an unjust
or unfair manner in any programme.”
And
“Language or scene likely to encourage or incite to crime or
lead to disorder is forbidden.”
As the code says, such an action is capable of pitching the
media against each other and naturally polarizing and heating up the polity,
which could bring about serious consequences – if not disastrous – especially
in a volatile city such as Kano.
It is against this background that I find it necessary to
gather you together here and interact with you and also ask you to stop forthwith
any action that is capable of disrupting peace in Kano.
Media, especially broadcast media, as you are aware, is a
very powerful tool. If used for the
wrong reasons, the damage they can cause is better imagined.
It is also important to note that as a regulator, NBC will
not fold its arms to allow anybody to use the broadcast media to disrupt
peace. We have a responsibility to see
that it does not happen that way. And I
urge you all to put hands on deck to assist NBC to achieve that goal.
Thank you and God bless