The regulator of Nigeria’s electronic and traditional media space has over the years continued to fritter away any modicum of respect it should ordinarily have a grasp of. Due to its actions and inactions, the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has completely fashioned itself into one of the most irresponsibly decadent institutions in the ailing Nigerian polity; the agency now signs off more like a lapdog of the government in power, a sharp contrast from the mandate of ensuring that the media space in Nigeria is morally and ethically sane.
The Nigerian National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) is an independent statutory agency established under the ambit of the Minister of Information. Generally speaking, the Commission is mandated by the government to ‘monitor’ and ‘regulate’ free-to-air television, broadcast radio, and subscriber television (Cable) services to make sure that at every point in time, their operations are at ‘appropriate’ levels in relation to technical, programming, and service standards. With the presence of this mandate, it appears quite disgusting to find out that the Nigerian media and air space is still a tacit dumping ground for all forms of garbage and immoral shows and programs.
Over the years, Reality TV show, Big Brother Naija has continued to constitute media nuisance to the Nigerian media space without apologies, the baffling reality is how the organisers have managed to keep away the damning eyes of the institutionally powerful NBC from their inadequacies.
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In recent years, the NBC has developed notoriety for clamping down on media outlets they consider too ‘harsh’ on the government. From year to year, without recourse to relevant stakeholders, they publish volumes upon volumes of Broadcasting codes to hasten up the agenda of the government they worship in stifling free speech and democratic dispositions, how these raving dogs look the other way or fall into deep sleep every summer when Big Brother Naija takes the centre stage in the Nigerian media space should be a source of worry to anyone desirous of a great future for Nigeria.
The NBC Code in Nigeria represents the minimum standard of broadcasting in the country. The codes are always published to provide regulations for broadcasters and to ensure that broadcasting plays a pivotal role in the social, cultural, technological, economic, and political lives of Nigerians. The new reality, albeit a sad one is that the callously irresponsible NBC is only interested in the political lives of Nigerians in a bid to dominate and stifle them, to the commission, the social, cultural, technological, and economic lives of Nigerians should go to blazes and burn to irredeemable ashes. How else can one explain the reality that a TV show like The Big Brother Naija which by every indication is a big mockery of Nigerian culture and tradition is allowed hassle-free passes and clearances to dominate the airwaves?
The show in question promotes many ills which sit in parallel lines to the values, culture and moral etiquettes Nigerians are supposed to be promulgating. For instance, no matter how one tries, nudity and obscenity can never be held compatible to any cultural inclination of Nigerians no matter the level of contradiction, why then is National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) looking the other way while the cultural sanctity of the Nigerian culture is being ferociously raped without condoms? On the flip side, since the inmates (Housemates) on the show are Nigerians, shouldn’t they have been projecting the Nigerian cultural heritage and everything about it? The truth is that they are bastardizing it while hiding under civilisation, yes! by promoting a show that celebrates obscenity, eroticism, and idleness they are simply eroding the moral foundations upon which Nigerian youths should build on. Going by the wordings of its own Broadcasting codes, isn’t that wickedness and irresponsibility in its full regalia?
In what ways is the NBC advancing Nigeria’s economic prospect by allowing the good-for-nothing Big Brother Naija show continued patronage on the airwaves? A show that promotes the dangerous culture of consumerism and waste does not certainly mean well for Nigeria and most especially her youth which forms the critical bulk of its viewers. At the end of the show, young people are awarded free cars, gifts, cash, and all manner of endorsements, and in the process making young viewers back home salivate at the prospects; wishing they had something like that sudden wealth. How else can such youths value hard work and tenacity? How on earth can they value innovation and critical thinking when being in a house, eating, kissing, and romancing on national TV can force big brands to come begging for your signature as ambassador? The truth is that restoring moral values and the dignity of education in Nigeria would be difficult if NBC does not grow enough balls to do the right thing soon.
Part of the mandates of the NBC is to regulate content exclusivity, enforce content sharing and regulate it, now what effort has NBC made to protect younger viewers from watching adult content which is definitely a time bomb for their minds? In fact, the biggest tragedy of the Big Brother Naija show is that children and infants are also glued to the TV screens watching it, the same children who are the future. If not for stupidity and unprofessionalism, shouldn’t common sense tell NBC that this group of viewers should be protected from lewd exposure which might prevent their growth into free, independent, and well-developed citizens? Since the caveat given by the organisers that the show is rated 18+ and it has not helped, shouldn’t common sense force the NBC to ban the show? Indeed common sense is not and has never been common.
The ills are too numerous to be fully listed however, at this point the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), should be reminded that being the regulator of the media space should go beyond gagging the electronic media particularly television and radio stations in Nigeria from reporting the true picture of bad governance which like a cankerworm destroying Africa’s most populous country. It should go beyond waging a needless war against the media to prevent her from playing its primary role as a watchdog in a democratic setting. Rather the NBC should focus on restoring the moral sanity of Nigerians. The NBC should reduce the distraction targeted at Nigerians so they can get to focus on demanding good governance from their leaders at all levels. The NBC has to take responsibility, the rot is deepening.
AFRICA DAILY NEWS, NEW YORK
