On the occasion of the World Day Against Cyber Censorship, Sputnik Africa sat down with Dr. Is'haq Modibbo Kawu, a renowned Nigerian broadcaster, political scientist, and former Director General of Nigeria's National Broadcasting Commission. He highlighted the importance of diversifying sources of information to counter Western hegemony in the global media landscape.
Dr. Kawu emphasized the historical struggle for a fair and just international information order, citing the movement within the UN in the 1970s for a new narrative that challenged Western-dominated news structures.
The biases embedded in Western news outlets have perpetuated distorted global perspectives, leading to the so-called "Afro-pessimism" in African reportage and biased representations of countries like China, Russia, and Iran, crafted through Western imperialist lenses, he said.
"The world information order was rooted in Western hegemony and was biased and often, colonial in content, in context, and also unjust. The decades since then have only deepened these biases, and the imperatives to diversify information sources have become even more important today," Dr. Kawu told Sputnik Africa.
According to Dr. Kawu, the Western mainstream media serves as a conduit for advancing the interests of the Western ruling class, thereby shaping public perceptions worldwide.
The Nigerian journalist argued that the banning of media outlets from other countries, particularly the banning of Russian media outlets such as Sputnik and RT in Europe, underscores the "hypocrisy of the West."
Since the start of Russia's special military operation in Ukraine, a number of jurisdictions, including the European Commission, have decided to censor Russian media and affiliated journalists. In early March 2022, the EU banned the broadcasting and distribution of RT and Sputnik content as part of its sanctions against Russia, applying the restrictions to all means of content transmission and distribution, including cable, satellite, IPTV, platforms, websites, and apps. All relevant RT, Sputnik licenses and agreements are suspended.
"The alleged philosophical basis of Western democratic values is the flowering of different perspectives on issues in order to allow citizens to be properly informed in an all-round manner to facilitate informed choice on developments," argued Dr. Kawu. "But in reality, this has never been the case in the Western tradition. Mainstream media has always been used to manufacture consent for ideas and choices that strengthen Western ruling class hegemony."
In the African context, Western mainstream media perpetuate stereotypes and negative portrayals of the continent, stemming from historical relationships forged through slavery and colonialism, he said.
Dr. Kawu suggested that African media must counter these narratives by engaging in initiatives that strengthen local media platforms.
While countries like Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, Senegal, Algeria, and Egypt have made strides in media development, Dr. Kawu underscored the need for Pan-African collaboration and partnerships with media organizations from BRICS countries to foster a more balanced representation of Africa on the global stage.
"Obviously, there's an imperative for media solidarity in Africa and internationally," said the former head of Nigeria's National Broadcasting Commission. "Our ability to navigate the stormy waters of prejudice, unfair reportage, and biased framing of news about our continent lies in our solidarity. It is our duty to report our continent fairly and professionally without embellishments of its weaknesses but without overlooking its achievements in the struggles against underdevelopment."
Discussing ways to achieve true information sovereignty in Africa, Dr. Kawu predicted that so-called "online journalism" will be the trend among young African generations.
"Africans are learning from an increasingly multipolar world order. In Nigeria, in recent weeks, people have been arguing for the leadership to join BRICS. These debates are going to heighten as there's a realization that we cannot continue with the neocolonial patterns of relationships with the Western imperial powers," he said.
Dr. Kawu also commended Russian and Chinese media outlets for "offering a different perspective to international news." According to the Nigerian political scientist, "these inspire new thinking in Africa also."
"The ground is ripe for Africa to find its rightful place in a multipolar world order," Dr. Kawu concluded.