Visiting Nigerian lecturer arrested in Ghana over ‘hate speech’

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

The Ghanaian police have arrested a guest Nigerian lecturer, Prof. Austin Nwagbara, at the University of Education in Ghana over a hate speech.

Prof. Nwagbara is being held at the police headquarters for allegedly inciting Nigerians to find strategies to destroy Ghana’s image abroad in a viral video on social media.

In the video, he was seen meeting with some Nigerians in Ghana and implored them to use the Nigerian media to destroy Ghana in the eyes of the international community through negative reportage.

According to the professor, Nigeria already has a bad image mainly because of how they have been branded by others, especially by Ghana, so it is time to reciprocate that by coming up with innovative ideas and strategies.

“We’re highly skilled and highly talented and blessed people but many at time we lack strategy, Nigerians tend to lack strategy. You can have good skills, if you don’t know how to let people know it, it is there; dies, like having a factory full of items in the warehouse. If you don’t advertise it remains in the warehouse”.

“They have harassed us a lot, I know that… What I’m saying is we need strategies. I’ll suggest something which the embassy can think about; I know they know which they can do immediately at the Nigerians community. There is bad image for Nigeria; we can take it back through the press. We can reverse it.

“We have powerful Nigerian media stations, channels broadcast all over the world, there’s active online social media, the plot in Nigeria. Let them come here and run documentaries of the experiences of Nigerians and blast it all over the world. In three days Ghana would respond,” he said in the video.

The police are currently holding him for further investigations.

Media reportage

Meanwhile, the Nigerian High Commission in Ghana has appealed to the media and the public to be circumspect with their reports and commentary on crimes committed by Nigerians.

According to the High Commission, it is unfair for all Nigerians in Ghana to be branded criminals because some have been involved in the spate of crimes in the country.

” Suffice to say that at times like this, a situation where five (5) Ghanaians in company of three (3) Nigerians allegedly kidnapped two (2) Canadians but seems to enjoy wider press coverage as a crime committed by the Nigerians and considers Ghanaians only as accomplices leave much to be desired on the objectivity of such report. In the light of the above, the High Commission wishes to appeal to the local traditional media and social media to be highly circumspect in such reportage.

” In effect, the ongoing media trial of the criminals which was now being turned media trial of Nigeria as a country, calls for moderation on the part of media practitioners in Ghana. Moreover, such media trials could be seen as prejudicial to the outcome of the ongoing prosecution in court which sees them as innocent until proven guilty. On this note, the Nigeria lHigh Commission wishes to reiterate its stand that whoever commits crime and is found guilty must face the consequences of his/her action. On its part, the High Commission will continue to mobilize all Nigerians living in Ghana to obey the domestic laws. The High Commission is also in touch with all relevant host authorities with a view to amicably resolve the issue,” a statement signed by the Nigerian High Commissioner to Ghana Ambassador  Olufemi Michael Abikoye said.

It further said: “This has become highly imperative in view of its larger implications on Nigerians living in Ghana and Ghanaians living in Nigeria as well. Moreover, the excellent relations that subsist between Nigeria and Ghana as maternal brotherly countries under His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari and his brother, President Nana Dankwa Akufo-Addo can never be allowed to be jeopardized by Xenophobic tendencies over such intents”.

Denial

Meanwhile, the University of Ghana has disowned the Nigerian visiting lecturer saying, he doesn’t belong to their outfit.

“The University of Ghana’s attention has been drawn to a video circulating on media platforms which features an individual who has been linked to the University of Ghana. Beyond the many provocative statements, he launches into a tirade against universities in Ghana in general, and the University of Ghana in particular.

“The said Professor has been identified as Professor Austin Nwagbara, a Nigerian Professor of English who is currently not a member of faculty at the University of Ghana. Our records show that Prof. Nwagbara was a Visiting Scholar at the Department of English during the 2011/12 academic year from August 8, 2011 to July 30, 2012.

“The claims Professor Nwagbara makes in the video relating to the University’s sources of income, students fees, etc. are incorrect and do not in any way represent the true facts and figures of the University’s income and state of affairs.

“The University of Ghana disassociates itself from the claims Professor Austin Nwagbara makes in the video which we find as mischievous and intended to mislead the public and harm the reputation of the University. The public is advised to treat the contents of the said video with the contempt it deserves,” the premier university said in a statement.

Source: Daily Mail GH