Speaking to Sputnik Africa on the sidelines of the 7th Russian Energy Week in Moscow, NJ Ayuk, CEO of the African Energy Chamber, condemned the recent Western sanctions imposed on Sputnik Africa, including the blocking of its social media accounts.
He called the censorship of the news agency a violation of free speech and a suppression of diverse perspectives on the continent.
"It's wrong," he stated. "When you sanction people, you're censuring thought. And if you talk about free democratic societies, how dare you look at Sputnik Africa and censure them?"
The African businessman emphasized that Sputnik Africa provides a crucial platform for African voices, offering a unique perspective often overlooked by mainstream media outlets.
He highlighted the importance of Sputnik Africa in telling "an African story that has long been forgotten."
"Sputnik Africa needs to be on every platform. They do an amazing job. They report African stories. You take Africa to the world, and they offer a perspective that is not being told," Ayuk said. "The truth of the matter is that if you can't tell your story, someone else is going to tell your story, and they are going to tell it in a way that doesn't work."
*Meta is banned in Russia as an extremist organization