Don’t Mention My Name In Your Letter Again, You Are Infringing On My Human Rights – Okonkwo Warns NBC

Nollywood actor cum politician, Kenneth Okonkwo has reacted to the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) warning to Arise Television over what it called the use of derogatory and incendiary remarks on its programmes.

Naija News reports that NBC had accused the media house of defaulting on its responsibility while airing its Newsday programme which featured Okonkwo, who according to them used derogatory remarks on air.⁣

Reacting to NBC’s warning, Okonkwo accused the broadcasting corporation of infringing on his fundamental human rights.

He insisted that he was entitled to his freedom of thought and expression.

The Labour Party chieftain shared his grievances via an open letter addressed to NBC’s Director-General, Dr. Balarabe Ilelah.

He argued that NBC has no power to fine or sanction a media house.

He subsequently warned NBC to desist from mentioning his name in further publications.

The letter reads in part, “I read the letter written by Mr Balarabe Shehu Ilelah, DG of NBC, and wish to state as follows:

“I sympathize with him in this unfortunate journey intended to please his employers, but state that he would have been more wise and circumspect in going about it.

“Maybe he is not aware that the Court has decided that NBC has no power to fine or sanction any media house. Intimidating or manipulating the media house is a form of sanction and is unlawful.

“He ill-advisedly mentioned my name in his letter as making an unguarded utterance simply because I confirmed that the Chicago State University certificate, which BAT submitted to INEC, was forged, for the simple reason that the University has expressly stated that the certificate did not come from them, which is the condition necessary to prove forgery.

“This statement is an outright infringement on my fundamental human rights as enshrined in Sections 38 and 39, which provide that “every person shall be entitled to freedom of thought…; every person shall be entitled to freedom of expression, including the freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart ideas and information, ideas and information without interference.

“These rights are superior to the NBC Statute which the DG incorrectly stated and his mentioning my name in his letter is an attempt to rudely interfere with my divinely and constitutionally guaranteed rights and he should desist henceforth from further mentioning my name in any letter or communication whatsoever. I remind him that, by law, any infringement on the fundamental human rights of Nigerians attracts punishment of damages.

“The Constitution also protects the right of the media in Section 22 to be free to uphold the responsibility and accountability of the Government to the people. Again the DG does not have the right to deny Arise TV their right to hold the government accountable to the people.”