BBC, UK
Apr. 30, 2004
Anna Borzello, BBC Correspondent in Lagos
news.bbc.co.uk

---

ReligionNewsBlog.com • Item 7058 • Posted: Saturday May 1, 2004  

---

Nigerian broadcasters are no longer allowed to show miracles on television in a way which are not “provable and believable”, say the authorities.

The National Broadcasting Commission says television stations which fail to abide by the ruling will be fined, and their equipment could be confiscated.

But no guidelines have been issued and broadcasters say they do not know how the new rules will be interpreted.

Nigerian TV is full of Pentecostal services which centre on miracles.

Many of the preachers claim to cure diseases, others to bring wealth and happiness.

But the question of how a miracle can be verified has not been answered.

Bunmi Cole, the NBC Lagos director told the BBC it would be up to each television station to decide whether or not a religious programme violated the ruling.

Concern

But the television stations are not happy with the arrangement.

Many broadcasters rely on revenue from Christian Pentecostal programmes.

Few would assume the power to judge whether or not a miracle is genuine.

The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria is also concerned.

Its president Bishop Michael Okonkwo told the BBC that while there are some fake miracle workers at large, he did not believe it was the NBC’s responsibility to legislate against them.

It is still not clear why the NBC decided to enforce a code which has until now been lying dormant in the law books.

However, Mrs Bunmi strongly denied a popular rumour that it was a part of a Muslim conspiracy to prevent Christians from stealing their members.

---

What You Can Do From Here

---

Read More Articles On These Topics Categories: Media Share, Blog About, Bookmark, or Email This Article Subscribe Religion News Blog RSS feed [What is this?] RSS by topic: Media Read Another Article Previous entry: LDS Church follows members to inner cities Next entry: Sikh policeman wins turban case RNB Homepage with latest headlines Find Related Information Use our custom search engines to find additional research resources on religions and cults Find Related Books Media Most Popular Today Tokyo marks 15th anniversary of subway sarin attack Cult survivor relives history of servitude in the Brisbane Christian Fellowship FLDS sect member Merril Leroy Jessop sentenced to 75 years in prison Cults should be given nowhere to hide

---

Share This Article

---

To share this page simply copy and paste one of these URL's:

• Post a link on your blog or website:
  
• Send in an email or IM:
  
• Post on a forum:
  

Search for information about (religious) cults, cult-like organizations, -- as well as paranormal-, New Age, and pseudoscientific claims -- across 260+ websites, blogs and forums dedicated to cult research, spiritual abuse, ex-cult counseling & support.

Note: results are listed on another domain -- CounterCultSearch.com -- from which you can easily return here.

Search for apologetics articles, books, videos, and other research resources across 135 Christian apologetics websites and blogs.

Note: results are listed on another domain -- ApologeticsSearch.com -- from which you can easily return here.