For many years Sahara Reporters has well known for spreading fake news, rumours and sentimental reports all over the country. The online news newspaper tries to dig out facts about governments but all of its reports have not once captured the triple virtues guiding the journalism 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 a blasphemous and sacrilegious statement and a big insult to the entire Muslim community across the globe. The content of the story compared the tribulations of the Yoruba separatist, Sunday Igboho, suffered to be the same plight with our beloved prophet.
If Afenifere does not know how things need to be put especially at this moment, when the country is facing serious challenges and the Muslim community is still battling with the Abduljabbar Issue trying to bury it, and ensure he is punished for his blasphemous statements, then Sahara Reporters which claims to be a professional media outlet should not give the story this abusive headline.
This should make every Muslim to feel offended. Sunday Igboho is a labelled criminal declared wanted by his country for trying to create a protracted war. It’s really pathetic and terrible for any individual or group to associate a wanted criminal with 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 rebellious group leader who is trying to tear his country apart?
Muhammad treated even the kafiruun with fairness, justice and equity. Talking about the prophet’s 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. It’s really heartbreaking.
For Afenifere, I find their statement as biased, 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 Reporters 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, with the prophet of Allah.
Therefore, comparing the pious Muhammad of Islam to a notorious Igboho is a big disservice to humanity and an insult to the entire Muslims. It should be retracted and an apology needs to be tendered. Their apology is a non-apology, therefore, we reject it.
Usman Abdullahi Koli, Mass Communication, Abubakar Tatari Ali Polytechnic,Bauchi[email protected]
