By Olayemi Esan
A viral video of the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami SAN, speaking in Hausa language when he announced the rearrest of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has generated controversy as some Nigerians condemned the action of the minister saying by his actions, he gave preference to one ethnic group above another.
In an interview with newsmen, the Minister’s spokesperson, Dr Umar Gwandu, said his principal first addressed the media in English language but later spoke in Hausa following the request of international media stations, such as the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) who broadcast their programmes in Hausa.
He said after speaking in English, the stations had appealed to the Minister to also speak in Hausa language for the effect of the soundbite.
“If you have any journalist who attended the press conference, you can call him to verify. He (Malami) first spoke in English language but because there was BBC Hausa and other international media stations that broadcast their programmes in Hausa language at that press conference, these stations asked for insert because of the essence of the soundbite and the minister obliged them by speaking in Hausa. The radio station is different from newspaper or television.
“The Minister spoke in Hausa, which is one of the three major languages in Nigeria because he understood and can speak the language. He would have done the same if he can speak Igbo and Yoruba too. Non-English speakers should not be denied access to news,” he said.
Credit: Daily Independent
