• Home
  • News
    • Nigeria
    • Africa
    • Middle East
    • World
    • Features
    • Interviews
    • New Edition
    • Muslim News
  • Analysis
    • Islam & Media
  • Perspectives
    • Opinion
    • Press Releases
    • Editorial
    • Letters
    • Al-Fahm
  • Islam-tainment
    • Sports
    • Arts
    • Poetry
  • Multimedia
    • Audio
    • Video
    • Photos
    • Investigations
  • iGuide
    • Testimony
    • Salah
    • Zakat
    • Fasting
    • Muslim Personalities
  • DONATE
Saturday, June 21, 2025
Muslim News Nigeria
  • Home
  • News
    • Nigeria
    • Africa
    • Middle East
    • World
    • Features
    • Interviews
    • New Edition
    • Muslim News
  • Analysis
    • Islam & Media
  • Perspectives
    • Opinion
    • Press Releases
    • Editorial
    • Letters
    • Al-Fahm
  • Islam-tainment
    • Sports
    • Arts
    • Poetry
  • Multimedia
    • Audio
    • Video
    • Photos
    • Investigations
  • iGuide
    • Testimony
    • Salah
    • Zakat
    • Fasting
    • Muslim Personalities
  • DONATE
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • Nigeria
    • Africa
    • Middle East
    • World
    • Features
    • Interviews
    • New Edition
    • Muslim News
  • Analysis
    • Islam & Media
  • Perspectives
    • Opinion
    • Press Releases
    • Editorial
    • Letters
    • Al-Fahm
  • Islam-tainment
    • Sports
    • Arts
    • Poetry
  • Multimedia
    • Audio
    • Video
    • Photos
    • Investigations
  • iGuide
    • Testimony
    • Salah
    • Zakat
    • Fasting
    • Muslim Personalities
  • DONATE
No Result
View All Result
Muslim News Nigeria
No Result
View All Result

How Social Media Weaponized the COZA Rape Saga: Lessons for Muslims

by Muslim News Nigeria
6 years ago
in Muslim News, News
Reading Time: 3 mins read
2
How Social Media Weaponized the COZA Rape Saga: Lessons for Muslims

Among several other scandals that have rocked social media, the latest COZA scandal is particularly instructive, and should be learnt from.

The moment the story broke, on social media too (YNaija), netizens, concerned and otherwise, immediately went into overdrive.

Before you could say Jack Robinson, several bottles of Krest were already flying about on Facebook, some with pictures of a particular man whose name had been rechristened FaDOyinbo (Yorubas will know). The word COZA, which before now was just the acronym of a church, assumed a new “urban dictionary” meaning. Likewise, several corroborating stories of rape appeared online too, the veracity of all of which may not be ascertained. In short, in just a few days, Pastor Biodun Fatoyinbo’s boisterous threats of suing Busola and Timi Dakolo over “false allegations of rape” gradually fizzled out and metamorphosed into a tepid explanation on the pulpit, a series of “advices from his spiritual fathers”, an abrupt cancellation of a scheduled international crusade and finally, an ignominious abscondment from his position as Senior Pastor.

That, dear readers, is social media for you. Harsh, unforgiving, relentless and brutal in accusation, judgement and sentencing, all rolled into one.

Nigerian Muslim netizens need to learn from this new reality, especially our Salafi brothers. Boisterous, loud, noisy and itchy on the fingers, they seem to be eager to always air their views on social media, especially when it comes to the vilification of foes, and surprisingly, friends alike.

It’s no surprise anymore that the so-called Ikhwanees will always take nasty bludgeons from them on social media, but today, some Salafis have turned their caustic fingers on their own scholars and leaders. Their Professors and Dakaatirah (PhD holders) have been stung very badly via caustic Salafi posts and messy diatribes on Facebook, while a prominent Lagos Salafi scholar has lately been waging a virtually one man battle against a senior Salafi scholar on Facebook (if you know you know), complete with threats and calls for mutual curse competitions.

However, the table turned only yesterday when Premium Times dealt a rather humbling and humiliating blow on the Southwest Nigerian Salafi community when it outed a prominent Salafi scholar over a case of alleged shoddy Nikah cum rape. Suddenly, the usually loud, boisterous and itchy fingered Salafi netizens crawled into their digital holes, silent and tight-lipped, only to come out initially to deny the story. Very quickly, denial attempts fell flat, and the subsequent defence turned to accusing other Muslim groups of “mocking an innocent Salafi scholar who fell into error”.

Well, a messed up alleged Nikah cum rape case is not exactly “falling into error”. In addition, the Ikhwanees, Professors and Dakaatirah you’ve had unmitigated fun bashing, “excommunicating from the Sunnah”, banning from the “Firqotu Najiyyah” and declaring as heretics won’t exactly be eager to come to your aid this time.

In addition, Mudir Habeeb and his boys that you’ve Takfir-d, the Sufi folks you’ve declared as Bid’ahtic and the Morsi-loving folks whose beloved late President you have vilified, even in death, won’t exactly jump to your aid now.

Have you heard? Premium Times ain’t your friend either. They are just doing their job. And the non-Muslim majority on social media? They don’t know the difference between Salafi, Sufi, Ikhwanee, or Habeebee. To them, all of Muslims are Fulani herdsmen and brothers and sisters to Jubril of Sudan.

Learn, O Salafees. This exclusionist, “we are the only sect going to Jannah” kind of Islam you are preaching will only render you isolated, friendless and vulnerable to relentless attacks on social media in situations of dire weakness, like this Premium Times alleged rape case. Mockery will be the least of your problems on social media when shit like this hits the fan, and bigger media like BBC, CNN and New York Times will only be excited to get the opportunity to feast on your rot, while you will get no help from other Muslim groups on social media because you have excommunicated them all from the fold of “your Islam”.

Think, O Salafees, think. Social media is harsh, brutal and relentless, with a long memory. Bring your friends close, your enemies even closer.

By Mansur Ismaila 

Sponsored

SUPPORT MUSLIM NEWS NIGERIA

With your generous financial contributions to MUSLIM NEWS, you are helping to sustain a culture of journalistic integrity that promotes tranquil Islamic values and ensures it remains free and available to all.

BANK TRANSFER

Rawshield PR Company

0568624004

Guaranty Trust Bank

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)

Related

Tags: Busola/cozaFatoyinboRapesalafeesalafiyyah
Previous Post

Conflicts in Nikaah: Between Deceptive Marriage and Rape Allegations

Next Post

Hijabophobia: Muslim parents warn ISI over girl child harassment

Next Post
Hijabophobia: Muslim parents warn ISI over girl child harassment

Hijabophobia: Muslim parents warn ISI over girl child harassment

Comments 2

  1. Kolawole Adegbuyi says:
    6 years ago

    It’s high time Muslims learn to tolerate each other and shun fault finding

    Reply
  2. Ibrahim Hassan says:
    6 years ago

    I hope our brothers learn from this so that we can all focus on the task ahead

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recent Post

MSSNLagos rallies youth for Nigeria’s sustainable future

MSSNLagos rallies youth for Nigeria’s sustainable future

June 20, 2025
Qatar condemns Benue killings, commiserates with Nigerians

Qatar condemns Benue killings, commiserates with Nigerians

June 18, 2025
Saudi Arabia’s 88-year-old King Salman to undergo tests due to ‘high temperature and joint pain’

Saudi Arabia to drill 78 solar-powered wells in Nigeria

June 18, 2025
VIEWERS’ DISCRETION: Tinubu visits survivors of Benue killing in hospital

VIEWERS’ DISCRETION: Tinubu visits survivors of Benue killing in hospital

June 18, 2025

Donate to Muslim News

Nigerians and the world need alternative journalism that unites Muslims; promotes Islam and spreads the universality of its true message.

If you help Allah’s cause, Allah will help you. Qur’an 22:40

Muslim News Nigeria is committed to reporting Islam and happenings in the Muslim world in accordance with Islamic principles based on truth and truth-telling (siddiq and haqq), pedagogy (tabligh), seeking the best for the public interest (maslahah), and moderation (wasatiyyah).

We have a fold of professional, conscious and devoted Muslims who work tirelessly on stories and those who donate to assist the cause.

News reporting and production is a process with different stages, each with its cost implication. Hence, as we appreciate existing supporters and sponsors, we look forward to more donations from well-meaning Muslims and members of the general public.

Your kind gesture will make our work seamless.

Donate now!!!

Rawshield PR Company,
GTB Account: 0568624004

About Us

Muslim News, a publication of Rawshield PR Media, is a mouthpiece for underreported Muslim achievers and events in Nigeria and across the world, which are never given prominence in the mainstream media.

Email: muslimnewsng@gmail.com
Tel: +234 805 240 4597

Our Mission

To give special media attention and coverage to important people and events in the life of Muslims that do not gain mainstream media attention, and to change the media narrative of blaming Islam and Muslims for offences committed in its lofty name.

About Us

Muslim News, a publication of Rawshield PR Media, is a mouthpiece for underreported Muslim achievers and events in Nigeria and across the world, which are never given prominence in the mainstream media.

Email: muslimnewsng@gmail.com
Tel: +234 906 869 5152

Our Mission

To give special media attention and coverage to important people and events in the life of Muslims that do not gain mainstream media attention, and to change the media narrative of blaming Islam and Muslims for offences committed in its lofty name.

Editorial Policy

We shall be fair to all persons, irrespective of their religions and ideologies, as long as that promotes the image of Islam and unites the Muslims. We shall also uphold the ethical standards of journalism, as allowed by Islamic ethics.

Support Muslim News

Rawshield PR Company

0568624004

Guaranty Trust Bank

  • Home
  • News
  • Analysis
  • Perspectives
  • Islam-tainment
  • Multimedia
  • iGuide
  • DONATE

© 2022 Published by RawshieldPR

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Latest News
  • Nigeria News
  • Africa News
  • Middle East News
  • World News
  • Sports News
  • Support Muslim News Nigeria

© 2022 Published by RawshieldPR