‘Your Petition is religious eye service; Face Your Dying Political Career’, Group Replies SB Bakari
• 'TSBS Has more than 10 Islamic Programme Running Daily'
The Taraba Inter-Faith Coalition an independent group of respected clergymen and professionals from both religion with sole aim of promoting harmonious relationship between both the Christians and Muslims in Taraba State has condemned Dr. Sulaiman Bakari (SB) petition against the management of Taraba State Broadcasting Service TSBS under leadership of Engineer Theophilus Andeyarka, saying its capable of disturbing public peace.
The group in a press statement signed by its Coordinators Mallam Ayuba Idris and Bro. Faith Audu described Bakari's petition as a 'religious eye service aimed at scoring cheap political points in the season of sober reflection and spiritual rebirth for the Muslim adherents across the world.
"It's also unfortunate that SB Bakari will despite his education and exposure stoop very low to use religion to revive his dying political career and seek relevance among our Hausa Muslim brethren.
"We observed that currently there are about 10 Tasfir programmes running daily on TSBS, these programs are sponsored by different well-meaning Muslims in the state, one will ask why didn't sponsored a Tasfir for the benefit of the general public during this Holy Month of Ramadan?"
"Before the coming of Engineer Theophilus Andeyarka as the general manager of TSBS, the station broadcast only six hours daily with poor and unpresentable studio equipment, currently the radio station broadcast 18 hours daily with improved studios equipment's and tools for it's workers
While it's true that under Engineer Theophilus Andeyarka as GM TSBS more staff are being sent for training g and workshop, It's untrue that it favors a certain religion.
The group lamented that Dr SB Bakari as a politician who has and might still seek for votes of Muslims and non-Muslims should have refrained from displaying his open intolerance for a particular religion or sect in the state.
"Dr SB Bakari should use these last days of Holy Month of Ramadan to sanitize his heart against hatred , envy, gossip and jealousy as clearly shown in his petition, he must strive to promote a united Taraba irrespective of his religion or sect affiliation"
Read full statement on Page 3
Advertorial for page 3- Taraba Inter-Faith Coalition on Dr. Sulaiman Bakari (SB) Petition Against Management of Taraba State Broadcasting Service recently under the leadership of Engineer Theophilus Andeyarka
The Taraba Inter-Faith Coalition is an independent group of respected clergymen and professionals from both religion with sole aim of promoting harmonious relationship between both the Christians and Muslims in Taraba State.
We are surprised at the petition of Sulaiman Bakari (SB Bakari), his opinion clearly does not represent the stand of Muslims in Taraba State, it could be best described as a 'religious eye service'.
In his petition, Dr SB Bakari as a politician who has and might still seek for votes of Muslims and non-Muslims should have refrained from displaying his open intolerance for a particular religion in the state.
With his level of exposure and education, Dr SB Bakari should know that his petition is capable of inciting unnecessary religious crisis in the state which surely would not address his personal grievance with the management of TSBS.
As a group that's seek to promote peace among both religion in Taraba State, our findings show clearly that DR SB Bakari is ill motivated and aimed at scoring cheap political points in the season of sober reflection and spiritual rebirth for the Muslim adherents across the world.
To put the record straight, Dr SB Bakari like every other Muslims individual is entitled to sponsoring any Islamic programme on TSBS but this must be done within the ethics of Radio business.
We observed that currently there are more 10 Tasfir programmes running daily on TSBS, these programs are sponsored by different well-meaning Muslims in the state, one will ask why didn't sponsored a Tasfir for the benefit of the general public during this Holy Month of Ramadan?
Why is Dr SB Bakari not sponsoring Tasfir like other Muslims, why was he particularly about sponsoring the call for prayers- is this because he wants to promote a particular sect over the other. Tarabans should not forget that Islam is a religion of peace.
It's also unfortunate that SB Bakari will despite his education and exposure stoop very low to use religion to revive his dying political career and seek relevance among our Hausa Muslim brethren.
We became more suspicious of the petition when Dr Bakari liken the suspension of Hausa programmes for hatred for Islam, it's sadden that someone of Dr Bakari caliber with his exposure could not different between Hausa as a language and Islam as a religion, his claims that Hausa language musicals were ban by the station management is laughable because not all Hausa Music are religious.
In the broadcast industry, programmes are scheduled for quarters, also when a programme is not getting the required sponsorship, no doubt such program might be suspended by the management of the organization for another programme that might delight listeners and attract sponsorship. Dr SB Bakari should tell us what he has done in the past to support Hausa programmes on TSBS.
It's more unfortunate that Dr SB Bakari so called investigations into activities Taraba State Broadcasting Service recently under the leadership of Engineer Theophilus Andeyarka does not reveal the transformation of the broadcast station.
Before the coming of Engineer Theophilus Andeyarka as the general manager of TSBS, the station broadcast only six hours daily with poor and unpresentable studio equipment, currently the radio station broadcast 18 hours daily with improved studios equipment's and tools for it's workers
While it's true that under Engineer Theophilus Andeyarka as GM TSBS more staff are being sent for training g and workshop, It's untrue that it favors a certain religion.
SB Bakari does not know the working of the newsroom and media organization, duties are assigned based on beats and desk each reporter covers, for instance a reporter covering health cannot be sent on a workshop on political reporting. Participants for workshop and trainings are selected based on its relevance to their duty and work schedule . It's even on record that more Muslims staff with TSBS has attended more training and workshop in the last two years.
It's sad that SB Bakari will call for the closure of the TSBS which could render many Tarabans jobless, It's not in the interest of the state that an individual whom many perceived to be a leader will advocate that the License of the station be suspended, a leader must not put his interest above the interest of the general public, Dr Bakari lacks this qualities, little wonder why members of his political party rejected him at the primary in 2019.
We urge Dr SB Bakari to use these last days of Holy Month of Ramadan to sanitize his heart against hatred , envy, gossip and jealousy as clearly shown in his petition, he must strive to promote a united Taraba irrespective of his religion or sect affiliation. His letter shows clearly, he is a Muslim who is yet to find Islam, a true religion that it's all about peace and peaceful coexistence of people.
We bold say that Dr SB Bakari investigation is Ill conceived with a sole aim of crashing on the Holy Month of Ramadan to fan the ember of religious disunity among Tarabans, the likes of SB Bakari should not be taken seriously in our society.
Signed
Mallam Ayuba Idris and Bro. Faith Audu
Coordinators
Taraba Inter-Faith Coalition
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