Leaders of Muslim organisations in Nigeria have showered accolades on Muslim News, Nigeria’s most authoritative Islamic newspaper as it celebrates its second anniversary of existence.
The medium, created in August 2018, was founded to serve as a mouthpiece for Muslim achievers and Islamic events while covering the gap of bias reportage tilted against the Muslims.
Reviewing its operations two years down the line, top religious leaders and scholars passed a vote of confidence on the medium that has trumpeted Islamic events, achievements and stories overtime.
Imam Nojeem Jimoh of Lighthouse Mosque, Lekki, Lagos described Muslim News as a brilliant idea and an important addition to the propagation of Islam in Nigeria.
Imam Jimoh said Nigerian Muslims have been negatively portrayed and underreported in the mainstream media, adding that, “If we don’t tell our own stories, especially the positive ones, nobody is going to tell them for us. So, from that viewpoint, I think Muslim News is a welcome development. All Muslims should identify with it.
According to him, “There is no doubt about the reliability of Muslim News because I follow the medium a lot. So, I am very much aware of their activities. And I’m aware of the quantum of stories that have been told by the medium, which would not be of any interest to the mainstream media. So, from that viewpoint, I think they are doing a wonderful job.”
The Islamic scholar also revealed his agenda for Muslim News, saying he envisions that it would become a mainstream media organisation albeit with the support and patronage of Muslims.
“Although the media is shifting more to online, rather than physical papers, in the ideal world, Muslim News would become a mainstream media that produces a physical newspaper that Muslims would buy and read; just like we buy and read Daily Times, Daily Trust, Punch and ThisDay newspapers.
“It would become that much with patronage from Muslims, and becoming a regular addition to the daily routines of Muslims who have made a habit of reading newspapers that they will like to read what Muslim News may have to tell. It may not necessarily be daily, but having physical copies in your hand, certainly would go a long way in addition to the online platform that some of us are already used to.”
The Imam, Lighthouse Mosque, Lekki, also advised the promoters of the news medium to serve as a voice for all Muslims irrespective of group or ideological affiliations.
He said, “I am aware, and I would want to be sure that Muslim News would be aware as well that there is the unwritten or unspoken allegation that Muslim News only covers events from the “Ikhwaani” viewpoint of Islam. And that our brothers from the Salafi viewpoint have had their voices completely drowned. It maybe true or not. But there is at least that perception.
“So, I would want to see Muslim News as a medium perceived to be a voice for the Muslims at large, regardless of the side of the divides they belong to, inasmuch as that which is being said promotes Islam and the Muslims as a whole.”
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