Muslim leaders, academics, media executives, and professionals gathered in Lagos last weekend to call for greater media responsibility and stronger Muslim engagement in public discourse. They urged the global Islamic community to move from being passive consumers of news to active storytellers, aiming to dismantle stereotypes and counter systemic misrepresentation of Islam.
The event was the seventh anniversary of Muslim News Nigeria and the MNAwards presentation, held at the Olanike Hall of the Shamsi Adisa Thomas Mosque in Ikeja. The theme was “Framing the Faith in the Midst of Media Misrepresentation and Global Conflicts.”
Keynote Lecture by MPAC Chairman
Delivering the keynote, Mallam Disu Kamor, Chairman of the Muslim Public Affairs Centre (MPAC), noted that despite Muslims’ contributions to peacebuilding, education, healthcare, and humanitarian services, mainstream media often projects unfair stereotypes. He argued that media narratives shape public opinion, government policies, and community relations, so the Muslim community must move beyond complaining about bias.
“Silence is not a strategy,” Kamor declared. “If we do not tell our stories, others will tell them, and in a way that does not appeal to us. We must move from being subjects of narratives to becoming authors of narratives.”
He highlighted double standards in reporting on hijab controversies and Boko Haram, reminding the audience that Muslims are primary victims of terrorism in Nigeria. He stressed that criminals cannot define a faith of over two billion people.
Kamor urged Muslims to address internal weaknesses like unproductive sectarian debates on social media and to channel energy into strategic communication, public advocacy, and media investments.
Event Chair and Religious Leaders Speak
The event was chaired by Alhaji Rasaki Oladejo, President of the Muslim Ummah of South West Nigeria (MUSWEN). He praised Muslim News Nigeria for being a resilient, independent voice for the Ummah. “Sustaining a faith-based media platform for seven years in a challenging media environment is a remarkable achievement,” he said.
Imam AbdurRahman Ahmad, National Missioner of Ansar-Ud-Deen Society of Nigeria, discussed how ownership and corporate funding skew editorial independence. “The media is not free because it remains an ideological apparatus controlled by those who fund it,” he explained, advocating for independent media models.
Imam Nojeem Jimoh, Chief Imam of Lighthouse Mosque, Lekki, called on affluent Muslims and corporate bodies to financially support faith-based media platforms to expand their reach.
Panel Discussion on Media Bias
A panel moderated by Hajia Nyma Akashat Zibiri included Professor Ishaq Lakin Akintola (MURIC), Mallam Talha Babalola Musa (NTA), Mallam Hussain Bin Hyacinth (Voice of Nigeria), and Hajia Mutiat Orolu-Balogun (Hijab Rights Advocacy Initiative). They advocated for legal action against media organizations that defame Islam and for aggressive Muslim ownership in mainstream media to alter agenda-setting.
MNAwards Presentation
The MNAwards honored trailblazers in categories like Global Muslim Personality of the Year, Nigerian Muslim Personality of the Year, and Muslim Women of Substance. Publisher Alhaji Rasheed Abubakar said the awards counter the mainstream media’s focus on negative headlines. “Many Muslims are doing wonderfully well and making us proud, but they don’t get recognition. This ceremony is dedicated to them,” he said.
