Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki has condemned the increasing rate of religious intolerance in the country and gruesome murder of a female student in Sokoto state who was stoned to death for expressing her views as a Christian.
The Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Hon. Andrew Adaze Emwanta who represented Governor Godwin Obaseki during the official commissioning of the Super 88.1 FM in Benin City said the level of religious intolerance in the country must be condemned at the highest level.
According to him, “It is the Commander in chief of the nation function to bring the perpetrators to book and to sound a very strong warning to them. Section 10 of the constitution makes Nigeria a secular state where people have a right to freely express themselves.
“The right to disagree is allowed, but it does not include the right to kill. For me it is the duty of the Nigeria government to stop it and I know the international community will add their voice, but the Edo state government find this act unacceptable, and we condemn it in the strongest terms.
“This is an affront of the right of the Nigeria people to freely express themselves. It does not matter the religion, but we must respect other people’s opinion.”
The Governor noted further that, “For us as a government we have taken definite steps and just recently the Edo State Executive council reconsidered the new criminal law and we have actually abrogated the provisions that had to do with sedition which was part of our law. We have also taken away criminal defamation to allow for freedom of expression to allow journalists express their views without fear of molestation.
While assuring the management of Super FM 88.1 Radio station that the Edo State Government will continue to work in synergy with the station just like it is doing with others, Governor Obaseki maintained that since broadcasting has gone digital, the state government has approached the Nigeria Broadcasting Commission for the setting up of Edo Broadcasting Commission because the law allows it to regulate broadcasting in the state.
The Chief Executive officer of Super FM 88.1 Mrs. Yemi Akinwunmi disclosed that the Super FM brand is the brain child of KCC Communication established in 2019 with three branches, which includes Super 96.3 FM Ijebu Ode, Ogun state, Super 93.3 FM Port Harcourt, Rivers State and the Super 88.1 FM being commissioned.
“The Super 88.1 FM Benin City will through our strategic interesting and professionally delivered content vigorously implement our mission and vision statements and diligently with utmost regards for the government, regulations, corporate sector and the good people of Edo State pursue our corporate objectivities,” she added.
