By Okikiola Qasim FUGBA
It has become a deliberate blasphemy of truth and an orchestrated campaign of falsehood for anyone to accuse Nigerian Muslims—who remain the main victims of genocidal attacks, internationally sponsored banditry, Boko Haram insurgency, communal clashes, and mass kidnappings—of perpetrating a so-called “Christian genocide.” These accusations thrive not because Muslims are aggressors, but because they have maintained silence, patience, and peaceful coexistence even in the face of widespread terror and devastation.
Yet, this silence has now become a weapon against them. While Nigerian Muslims chose restraint, their accusers amplified false narratives across mainstream broadcast platforms and through coordinated social media networks that dominate public opinion. What should have been a national conversation about justice and shared suffering has instead been turned into a manipulative media war, carefully engineered to demonize the very victims who suffer the most.
The Media Gap That Silences 100 Million Nigerian Muslims
According to the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC), over 700 broadcast licences (radio and television) have been issued across the country. Shockingly, Nigerian Muslims—who constitute more than 50% of the population—cannot boast of even 10 mainstream media houses owned, controlled, or editorially aligned with Muslim interests. Of those few licences, perhaps five function consistently, and even then, they often serve narrow organizational purposes rather than the broader interest of Nigerian Muslims or the strategic defence of Islam in the national narrative space.
This absence is not because Muslims lack population, resources, or the intellectual capacity to build a media empire. It is because the collective will to deliberately invest in media as a strategic tool has been neglected for decades.
Internal Sabotage: When Muslims Silence Their Own
While some blame national Muslim leadership entirely, the truth is more complicated. I am aware of genuine efforts to assemble competent media professionals to close this communication gap. Yet, each time these opportunities appeared, they were squandered—penalties played over the bar with an empty net before them.
Worse still, segments of the Muslim community have actively undermined media initiatives. They refused to support individuals investing their time, expertise, and resources in Islamic media development. Instead, they blackmailed such individuals for “intruding” without authorization, frustrated genuine efforts with internal politics, or diverted public funds meant for Islamic media development—posing as experts in a field they neither mastered nor respected.
As a result, out of a thousand educated Muslims, one can hardly find five trained practitioners capable of producing broadcast-standard content acceptable to national media houses. This vacuum automatically cedes narrative control to Christian-dominated media institutions that have heavily invested in training, infrastructure, and message discipline.
The Consequence: Muslims Cannot Defend Themselves in the Arena of Public Opinion
When allegations of “Christian genocide in Northern Nigeria” surfaced, no strong, credible, media-trained Muslim voices could stand in national broadcast studios to counter such claims with facts, history, or logical argumentation. Instead, Muslims relied on press releases circulated only within WhatsApp groups, private organization platforms, or social media echo chambers.
In contrast, those pushing the genocide narrative had mainstream media access, multiple television platforms, influential newspaper columns, paid commentators, and
A coordinated communication strategy.
This imbalance explains why false narratives flourish—and why genuine Muslim suffering remains invisible.
The Path Forward: A Deliberate Media Renaissance for Nigerian Muslims
If Nigerian Muslims want to reclaim their voice and defend their place in the national story, several urgent steps are necessary:
- Invest Deliberately and Heavily in Broadcast Media
Muslim organizations, philanthropists, and business leaders must prioritize acquiring radio and TV licences, establishing digital media platforms, and funding professional studios. Media is not charity—it is strategic defence.
- Train Muslims to Take Media as a Second Career
We need an entire generation of Muslim journalists, producers, documentary makers, newscasters, editors, and media strategists. Scholarships, media schools, exchange programs, and internships must be created immediately.
- Build a Funded Strategy for Media Commentary
Muslims need trained spokespersons capable of presenting logical, articulate, evidence-based positions—confidently and professionally—on national and international platforms. This requires ongoing workshops, simulations, and performance coaching.
- Establish an Annual Media Budget
Every major Muslim organization must set aside a dedicated media budget for content production, investigative reporting, rapid response communication, and narrative defence.
- Create a Central Muslim Media Response Desk
A coordinated structure must monitor misinformation, provide timely responses, and deploy trained media commentators across platforms when issues arise.
Conclusion: Narratives Shape Power—Silence Surrenders It
Those accusing Muslims today are not only the main players in the Nigerian media space—they are the ones with the loudest microphones, the fastest networks, and the most aggressive communication strategies. Muslims remain victims, yet their suffering is overshadowed because they do not control the narration of their own reality.
It is time to change that. Not by argument alone. Not by emotion.
But through deliberate, strategic, and professional investment in media—the battlefield where modern power is won or lost.
I rest my case.
Okikiola Qasim FUGBA
CEO, EL-QASMIE COMMUNICATIONS.
09091212198,07041601958
Islammyparadise@yahoo.com
Okikiolaqasimy@gmail.com
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