Channels Television, a Lagos-based independent 24-hour news
station, on Sunday suddenly terminated a broadcast by fiery pastor, Tunde
Bakare, over claims the tone of the message was critical of the Nigerian
government, Premium Times reports.
Moment of Truth, a one-hour recorded paid programme, through
which Mr. Bakare broadcasts messages he preaches in his church, The Latter Rain
Assembly, runs every Sunday on the Lagos channel of the station, between 5p.m.
and 6p.m.
which Mr. Bakare broadcasts messages he preaches in his church, The Latter Rain
Assembly, runs every Sunday on the Lagos channel of the station, between 5p.m.
and 6p.m.
But 45 minutes into the programme on Sunday, Channels
terminated the programme just as Pastor Bakare was making comments considered
critical of the Nigerian government.
terminated the programme just as Pastor Bakare was making comments considered
critical of the Nigerian government.
“We had to hurriedly take the programme off air after he
(Pastor Bakare) began spitting venom against the government and saying things
we cannot defend,” an official of the station, who asked not to be named
because he has no permission to speak on the matter, told the newspaper.
(Pastor Bakare) began spitting venom against the government and saying things
we cannot defend,” an official of the station, who asked not to be named
because he has no permission to speak on the matter, told the newspaper.
The official did not say what those comments were, but he
insisted they were serious enough that Channels could not afford to allow
anyone to spread them through its station.
insisted they were serious enough that Channels could not afford to allow
anyone to spread them through its station.
When contacted, the General Manager of the station, Kayode
Akintemi, confirmed he received complaints over the pulling of Pastor Bakare’s
broadcast.
Akintemi, confirmed he received complaints over the pulling of Pastor Bakare’s
broadcast.
He however said the station was looking into the matter.
Pastor Bakare told Premium Times he and his church had not
been given any explanation for terminating the programme.
been given any explanation for terminating the programme.
“The broadcast is not free,” Mr. Bakare said. “ It is paid
for and those in charge will write them tomorrow to demand explanations.”
for and those in charge will write them tomorrow to demand explanations.”
The pastor insisted Channels had no justification for
pulling his broadcast.
pulling his broadcast.
“There was nothing I said in that broadcast that is
subversive other than warning the nation that the forthcoming election is laced
with disaster and that if we must plunge into it, we should be ready for the
consequences,” he said.
subversive other than warning the nation that the forthcoming election is laced
with disaster and that if we must plunge into it, we should be ready for the
consequences,” he said.
In the broadcast entitled, “The Gathering Storm And
Avoidable Shipwreck – How to Avoid Catastrophic Euroclydon”, Pastor Bakare
accused the government of plunging the country into political and economic
disaster and warned of an impending storm.
Avoidable Shipwreck – How to Avoid Catastrophic Euroclydon”, Pastor Bakare
accused the government of plunging the country into political and economic
disaster and warned of an impending storm.
He spoke of the “fundamental flaw in the polity” and the
gathering of the cloud ahead of a major storm.
gathering of the cloud ahead of a major storm.
Accusing the
government of ignoring warning signs and allowing criminality to thrive, Mr.
Bakare argued that the Nigerian economy had now crashed because it could no
longer sustain the massive corruption in the subsidy fraud.
government of ignoring warning signs and allowing criminality to thrive, Mr.
Bakare argued that the Nigerian economy had now crashed because it could no
longer sustain the massive corruption in the subsidy fraud.
The pastor, who declared his loyalty for the presidential
candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Muhammadu Buhari, later identified
the danger signs facing the country and the steps he said are necessary to
avert crisis before, during and after the forthcoming elections.
candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Muhammadu Buhari, later identified
the danger signs facing the country and the steps he said are necessary to
avert crisis before, during and after the forthcoming elections.
According to him, the signs include:
Poor level of election preparedness
Acts of lawlessness and partisanship of security agencies
Security risks across the country
Likely minority king-making
Looming constitutional and legal crisis
Impending post-election tension
Looming economic collapse
Potential religious confusion, betrayals and persecution.
But hey here’s the good news you have the opportunity of watching the video here;
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