For many years Sahara Reporters are well known for spreading fake news, rumor and sentimental reports all over the country. Trying to dig out facts about governments doing but, all their reports have not once captured the triple virtues guiding the pen profession.
Yesterday, the Media outlet published on their timeline a report credited to Afenifere, a Yoruba Socio-Cultural Group, the headline reads” Igboho is like prophet Muhammad who fled Mecca for Madinah”. This is blasphemous and sacrilegious statement and a big insult to the entire Muslim communities across the globe. The content of the story compared the tribulations of Yoruba revolutionist Sunday suffered same plight with our beloved prophet.
If Afenifere, do not know how things need to be put especially at this moment, when the country is facing serious challenges and the Muslim communities are still battling with Abduljabbar Issue trying to bury it, and ensure he is punished for his blasphemous statements, then Sahara Reporters claiming to be a professional media outlet should not give the story this abusive headline.
This behoves every Muslim to feel offended, Sunday Igboho is a labelled criminal found wanted by his country for trying to create a long lasting war, it’s really pathetic and terrible for any individual or group to describe a wanted criminal to any religion not to even talk of comparing him to the most beloved man on earth. Oh God please pardon us!
Prophet Muhammad (SAW), a person who preached unity, peace and harmony among the residents of Mecca including the non Muslims is being compared to a secessionist leader? A person who brought humanity and strongly opposed bigotry and hatred is being compared to a rebellion group leader who is trying to tear his country apart?
Muhammad treated even the kafiruun with fairness, justice and equity. Talking about the prophet migration, he migrated to establish Islamic system in Madina. Muhammad who happened to be the most generous and most honest man, is now being compared to a hoodlum. Its really heartbreaking.
For Afenifere, I found their statement bias, untruthful, sentimental and hatred towards the entire Muslims including the Yoruba muslims living among them. But the content would not have been uglier if Sahara had done the needful, considering the ethics of the profession.
Every Muslim will find the comparison very hurting and disrespectful. You can’t compare such a scoundrel whose only wish, is to set his country ablaze.
Therefore, comparing the pious Muhammad of Islam to a notorious Igboho is a big disservice to humanity and insult to the entire Muslims. It should be retracted and apology needs to be rendered. Their apology is non-apology apology therefore we reject it.
Koli, a graduate of mass communication, Abubakar Tatari Ali Polytechnic Bauchi
mernoukoli@gmail.com
