The Catholic Church in
Nigeria is set for a showdown with the management of Dstv over the
unceremonious suspension of a religious channel, EWTN.
The EWTN, a religious
channel that broadcast activities of the Catholic faith, was recently yanked
off from the bouquet of the South African owned Dstv over what its management
termed the unpopularity of the programme in Nigeria. In a release signed by the
Director, Social Communications, Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos, Msgr. Gabriel
Osu, the Church described the suspension of the religious channel as uncalled
for and regrettable and vowed to challenge the action.
Similarly, in a swift
reaction, the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, in a letter signed by Most Rev. Emmanuel Ade Badejo
Chairman, Directorate of Communications of the CBCN, described the suspension
of the channel as an act of discrimination.
“In the last two
weeks Bishops offices in Catholic Dioceses across Nigeria have been besieged
with calls from the faithful who hitherto have been able to receive EWTN on
your Dstv bouquet in Nigeria. Upon investigation, we found that Dstv had
decided to suspend this channel to the greatest bewilderment of thousands of
your subscribers for whom EWTN had become their family and faith channel. We
have received reports that EWTN which by the way was the only Catholic channel
on your service, is the only religious channel that has been taken down.”
While describing as false
the assertion by Dstv that the channel was unpopular, judging by the high
volume of complaint received from Catholics against the
suspension, the Church urged Dstv to review its suspension of Ewtn and give
back the millions of starved Christian households the opportunity of
continually nourishing their faith at the earliest possible opportunity.
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