The Minister of Information and Cultural Orientation, Alhaji Lai Mohammed has refuted a report making the rounds on social media that he had directed the National Broadcast Commission (NBC) to stop the broadcast of Big Brother Naija in the country.
Segun Adeyemi, media aide, to Lai Mohammed, in a phone interview on Saturday while reacting to the report, said it was speculative with no truth whatsoever.
He said anybody that is sure that the minister issued such a directive should provide a memo, where it was contained.
According to him, the 2020 Big Brother Naija reality TV show is still airing contrary to the speculative report that the minister had ordered NBC to suspend the show on the DStv bouquet.
He said;
“The report was not credited to the minister. That statement is not credited to the minister. We will not dignify speculative reports; if a minister issues a directive, it will not be issued verbally.
“There’s going to be a memo to that effect that he will send; anybody that is sure that the minister made that statement should provide a memo.
“Like I said earlier, we will not dignify speculative report; if you tune your satellite TV to channel 198, I am sure Big Brother Naija is still airing, contrary to the speculative report that the minister has ordered NBC to suspend the show,” Adeyemi added.
Also, the NBC Acting Director General, Dr Armstrong Idachaba has also denied that reality TV show has been suspended and also urged Nigerians to disregard the report.
This came days after the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) declared that the reality TV show, currently ongoing, should be scrapped because it is evil and promotes immorality.
Stanley Dimkpa, Chairman of CAN in Rivers State, who made the call in a statement on Tuesday in Port Harcourt, said that the TV shows that promote justice, morals and activities that are aimed at pleasing God and humanity should be encouraged instead.