REFUTE DEFAMATORY ONLINE DOCUMENTARY AND BROADCAST BY BRITISH BROADCASTING CORPORATION AND ITS PARTNERS
It is with pleasure that NBM of Africa otherwise known as NEO Black Movement of Africa welcome members of the press from the electronic and print media to this Press Briefing. There is no doubt that falsehood will stand as truth when it is unchallenged and uncontroverted.
The recent Online broadcast/publication and documentary produce by British Broadcasting Corporation against our organization NBM of Africa otherwise known as NEO Black Movement of Africa has necessitated this Press Briefing in order to put the records in the right perspective.
It is imperative we further educate the public and indeed the press that NBM of Africa is a Pan African Organization registered with the Corporate Affairs commission of Nigeria with Registration No. 7729 under part C of the Companies and Allied Matters ACTs of the Federal Republic Nigeria.
We the accredited members of the Body of Founders of NBM of Africa on behalf of NBM of Africa and its members globally wish to reiterate that NBM of Africa which was founded in 1977 in Nigeria by young intellectuals has always believed in the principle of promotion, protection and advancement of black solidarity, world peace, international cooperation and understanding as well as equality and social justice for disadvantaged persons globally.
For the avoidance of doubt, the fundamental objectives of NBM of Africa are clearly enumerated in Section 2 of its constitution and NBM of Africa, otherwise known as Neo Black movement of Africa has pursued these objectives rigorously and religiously for forty (40) years of its existence.
For ease of reference, we reproduce the fundamental objectives of NBM of Africa thus;
- NBM of Africa shall be an organization based on the principles of democracy, equality and social justice.
- It shall be the cardinal policy of the organization and its organs to cooperate and exchange ideas with organizations whose aims and objectives are in harmony with those of NBM of Africa.
- It is hereby accordingly declared that the organization belongs to all members of NBM of Africa who along with various organs and authorities established by this constitution must be guided by the provision of this Constitution.
- NBM of Africa is a humanitarian, non-partisan, non-religious and non-tribal organization.
- The motto of the organization shall be “Social Justice and Equality for All”.
- The organization shall inculcate a deep sense of belonging and patriotism in members.
- The organization shall protect, defend and propagate the interest and welfare of its members.
- The organization shall strive to eradicate all forms of oppression, corruption, neo-colonialism and social vices from society.
- The organization shall dedicate its resources to promoting, defending and advancing black solidarity, culture and world peace.
- The organization shall promote and protect fundamental human rights of all persons irrespective of race, social status, religion and gender in accordance with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights as well as the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights.
It is therefore embarrassing and against best global practice in broadcasting and journalism for British Broadcasting Corporation otherwise known as BBC and its allies to produce and broadcast defamatory documentary online through YouTube and segment of its organization known as the African EYE against the integrity of NBM of Africa.
In the said online broadcast and documentary by British Broadcasting Corporation, BBC persistently referred to our NBM of Africa as Black Axe and allude to unfounded facts that NBM of Africa involves in violence and criminality.
The defamatory documentary and broadcast which has gone viral on the internet and further broadcasted by BBC on the 19th day of December, 2021 defamed and disparaged our organization’s reputation and character with obvious consequences that have caused NBM loss and divestment of integrity by prudent members of the society, which has caused our organization to be held in abysmal disdain, disrespect and odium by ordinary and prudent members of the society.
It may interest you to note that the unethical and unprofessional manner the documentary was produced give credence to the fact that it was a grand conspiracy by some elements to destroy NBM. On the 18th July, 2021, the leadership of NBM granted interview to British Broadcasting Corporation in utmost good faith but unknown to NBM leadership that BBC has a malicious plan to use same for documentary purpose. The interview of 18th July, 2021 that was granted to BBC by the leadership of NBM of Africa was supposed to be a news item simpliciter but BBC and its allies went on a voyage of malicious destruction of the reputation of NBM by shopping from the internet and informal and unverified sources for negative information against NBM of Africa.
Our interim forensic analysis of the malicious documentary video revealed that BBC and the anchor person who orchestrated the documentary Mr. Peter Otunba Gbolahan Macjob copied videos and pictures from the end SARS violence incidence to make up the documentary in a bid to portray NBM as a violent organization .
This is totally unethical and unprofessional. NBM of African has been in the fore front for justice and equity in Nigeria and globally. Our organization has collaborated at various times with human rights groups and civil organizations in pursuit of better society. Why should BBC and Mr. Peter Otunba Gbolahan Macjob the anchor person for the documentary under reference embark on this defamatory Voyage?
The interim forensic analysis of the documentary also revealed that videos and pictures of incidence that occurred years back in other places without nexus with NBM were joined to make up the defamatory documentary.
Why should BBC embark on this Voyage of Malicious destruction of NBM? If indeed persons interviewed by BBC in the said documentary are members of NBM who feels otherwise about the organization why were they masked to speak in the manner they did in the documentary?.
We are leaders and members of the body of founders of NBM of Africa, we seated here in this press conference as the accredited representative of NBM are the forebears of NBM of Africa. We are retired public servants, professionals and distinguished senior members of the society with honour and integrity to protect. We have been dedicated to the core objectives of NBM for over forty (40) years running. We stood against oppressive government in the past to demand for better condition of service for civil servants, we stood against the establishment to demand for autonomy and better funding of our universities for quality education, we matched the streets of Nigeria with other civil rights groups to agitate against removal of oil subsidy, we marched the streets in Nigeria and other Africa countries namely South Africa, Kenya, Ghana etc to campaign against Xenophobia, through intellectual activism as advocacy group, we have condemned at various forum acts of violence, oppression and inhuman treatment globally. We make bold to say that our organization NBM of Africa is a PAN African Organization because we promote African culture, tradition and social values but we are not a racist organization.
We are proud of who we are because that is our identity as Africans but we synergise with other global organizations to promote world peace and harmony. We stand for humanity irrespective of colour, language or race because there is greater strength in diversity.
The leadership of NBM is not unaware that some elements within its fold may breach its constitution and even the laws of the society. That is why the constitution of NBM of Africa provides that any member who involves in crime or any deviant behavior against the organization or the laws of the society they found themselves should be suspended and eventually ex-communicated after fair hearing of the allegations.
The fact that a member of NBM of Africa violates the laws of the land does not make all members of NBM of Africa law breakers. The fact that a member of NBM of Africa is a deviant does not make all members deviants.
There are reported cases of members of Nigerian police, the metropolitan police and even FBI involving in crime and other vices that are against the ethics of the police and security agencies. But the involvement of the few police men in Nigeria, Britain and indeed the United States does not in any way mean that all members of Police force in Britain and Nigeria are criminals and deviants.
There are established religious organizations whose priests and clergy men are expected to live within lawful standards. But there are records that some priests and clergy men engage in crimes like child defilement. Should we now say that the religious organization is a criminal organization hence should be condemned and disparaged the way and manner BBC and its partners have done to NBM?
Our investigation revealed that certain individuals have turned NBM of Africa into money making venture. These unscrupulous individuals and organizations sell fake stories to security agencies and get paid by the security agencies under the guise that they are profiling an organization that is a global threat.
If we may ask, what threat is NBM to anybody? NBM is not faceless. We are open to talks and discuss. Our books are open for audit and review. The organization is financed with contributions from members and levies mutually agreed by members. We hold our Annual General Meetings in open places and members of the public and press are usually invited. What is secret about NBM?
Our constitution is in public domain and we are not afraid to be scrutinized. Some security agencies are making money from the government of their respective countries under the guise that they are investigating NBM which they tagged a global criminal organization. They collect funds to enrich themselves and their conspirators and pursue a non existing crime.
To further give credence that the conspirators against NBM of Africa are highly funded, they created and have been sponsoring two major websites to disparage NBM of Africa. The sites include NBM147watch.com and www.churchloaded.com. These sites spread defamatory facts about NBM. Anybody who wishes to know about NBM of Africa should contact us directly and not to source unverified information from websites of those making money from the authorities under the guise that they have information about NBM of Africa.
If any member of NBM of Africa is found to be involved in crime, such member should be arrested and prosecuted in court of law. The name of NBM of Africa should not be linked to personal wrong action of a member.
NBM of Africa has written a letter through its solicitors to British Broadcasting Corporation to retract the defamatory documentary within seven (7) days of receipt of the Solicitors letter dated 17th December 2021. If BBC fails to comply with the instructions of our solicitors as contained in the letter dated 17th December, 2021, we shall proceed to court to seek redress.
We are determined to redeem the integrity of NBM through all means lawful and this we shall do with faith in God that we shall triumph.
Thank you all for attending this press conference and we urge you to give this briefing the prominence it deserves.
SIGNED
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Comrade Ernest Amadasun
Chairman Body of Founders
For And On-Behalf of NBM of Africa