THE CLAIM: In a news report, a Senior Reporter with TVC, a private television station based in Lagos, Southwest, Nigeria, while reporting on the Company and Allied Matters Act, claimed that Nigeria has predominant Christian population.
VERDICT: Unsubstantiated, False!
In the news broadcast on TVC, a Reporter, Ivy Kanu started the report with this statement:
“With predominantly Christian population, an amended Nigerian law seems to be shaking the table (sic). It is the Companies and Allied Matters Act.”
Watch the Video here.
CLAIM: In a news report, a Senior Reporter with @TVCNews_Africa, a private television station based in Lagos, Nigeria, while reporting on the CAMA Law, claimed that Nigeria has PREDOMINANTLY CHRISTIAN POPULATION.
VERDICT: Unsubstantiated, False! Read more https://t.co/GUQ4h6M4vG pic.twitter.com/ByQpFhIU0z
— Muslim News Nigeria (@muslimnews_NG) August 26, 2020
VERIFICATION
The 2006 population census figures released by National Population Commission (NPC) did not include religion as a data variable when the Commission carried out the population census.
The TVC News reporter made the claim in her report without any evidence to substantiate or back it up.
Despite the assertion from TVC News, virtually all population data sources, both online and offline, that the population of Muslims in Nigeria is well above that of Christians, but just like the claim of the said reporter, their methodology for arriving at this figures is not stated.
Though researchers are divided on the desirability of referencing the online encyclopedia, Wikipedia in research work, it placed the population of Muslims above those of Christians in Nigeria. Read it HERE
Other data which put the population of Muslims ahead of that of Christians in Nigeria include the 2019 report of The World Factbook by the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) – (Muslim 51.6%, Christian 46.9%. Read it HERE
Similarly, in a 2019 report released by Pew Research Center, the Muslim population was estimated to be 50% while the Christian population was estimated to be 48.1%. Read it HERE
The 1963 Nigerian census found that 47% of the population was Muslim, 34% Christian, and 18% other. Read it HERE
The 2008 MEASURE Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) found 53% Muslim, 45% Christian, and 2% other. Read it HERE
The 2008 Afrobarometer poll found 49% Christian, 50% Muslim, and 1% other. Read it HERE
Pew’s own survey found 52% Muslim, 46% Christian, and 1% other. Read it HERE
So, what verifiable metrics, indices, data source or parameter(s) did the said TVC News Senior Reporter rely on in asserting that Nigeria is predominantly Christian population?
Such claims could also not be regarded as opinion as this is alien to the proper way of presentation of news, not least for a medium as reputable as TVC.
All contents of a standard news should be fact-based especially if they are reports by a supposed senior reporter.
In fact, the 2006 national population figure as released by the National Population Commission (NPC) did not consider religion in its data collection.
Where did TVC news then get its data from to have made the assertion? If there is no verifiable data source to back up the claim, then it will be regarded as FALSE CLAIM.
THE CONTEXT:
Except Muslims in Nigeria convert to Christians in droves (no data to support this) the family make-up and set-up of Islam/Muslims encourages Polygamy while Christian doctrine discourages it. With Islam allowing men to marry as much as four women, Muslims give birth to more children compared to their Christian counterpart who marry only one wife and promote the wanton use of contraceptives.
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What a timely response please keep it up and speak whenever is necessary