Nigerians, with special emphasis on media practitioners, have been urged to use the media to preach and promote love, unity and peace.
Renowned security expert, Amb. Abayomi Nurain Mumuni made the call on Wednesday at the ‘Islam and the Media’ Webinar (Series 1), commemorating the second anniversary of Muslim News Nigeria.
Mumuni, a Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) chaired the occasion that featured four Nigerian and two international panelists.
The Webinar, themed; ‘Survival of Islamic Media Institutions: Reflections from Nigeria’, was attended by 400 participants from across the world while thousands of netizens watched it Live via the official Facebook page of Muslim News, Nigeria’s most authoritative Islamic newspaper.
Amb. Mumuni, in his welcome remarks, said, “I feel highly honored and excited to be chairing this great event, which is the first edition of the Webinar on Islam and the Media, organised by a fast rising news medium, Muslim News Nigeria, a publication of Rawshield PR Media, owned by my wonderful and good brother, Rasheed Abubakar.
“I only have a couple of things to put across to the distinguished participants at this Webinar. First, I will like to appreciate and commend the efforts of the team that put up this great event.
“They are celebrating their 2 years anniversary of writing exclusively about Islam and Muslims in Nigeria and internationally.”
The author of ‘Global Terrorism and its Effects on Humanity’ advised that the media should be used to propagate love, unity and peace, just as he frowned at using the media to cause division and hatred.
“It is a great effort that must be commended and supported by all Muslims. This is because the media is very important. The media is a tool we can use in preaching love, unity, and brotherhood of Muslims in particular and humanity in general, which are part of the messages brought by Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W).
“The media should not be used to create hatred, especially in Nigeria where we have people of diverse religions, cultures and interests.
“Therefore, the media should be used as a tool to propagate love, and unity, especially at these troubling times when they are most needed”.
The one-time Lagos gubernatorial candidate of the defunct CPC also tasked Muslims to invest heavily in the media, noting specifically that Muslim News should be given full support by Muslims.
“I’d like to also use this avenue to call on Muslims to invest heavily in the media, and, particularly, support this great medium, Muslim News Nigeria, so that they can do better than what they have been doing in the last two years.
“This is why I also decided, in my own little way, to support my brother who has been working with me for years. I have been spreading the message of the medium across to my friends in different parts of the world.
“Thank you very much for the opportunity to speak on this occasion. I also greet and thank specially, the media scholars on ground. I pray Allah makes the deliberations a fruitful one.”
By Abdullah Abdulganiy
