In the build up to the general elections in 2015, media power was engaged arguably at its highest form in the history of elections in Nigeria up till today. Propaganda, Calumny, Disinformation, Misinformation, Slander and outright lies were dissipated from and by various media and both major parties were villain and victim. However, an incident from that time that has kept reoccurring made me to retrospectively look at the danger of falsehood.

A popular incident that has and still fills our political cum religious discourse today is the narrative that then President Jonathan visited Canaan land and Bishop Oyedepo declared to open the gates of hell against his political opponent. I remember this incident clearly as it was reported by even reputable media then and the Church had to come out to offer a rebuttal that such incidence never took place. The video of the service was even uploaded then but the political goons then had found a weapon to use against an opponent. Up till today, there is no evidence of that statement ever occurring. What baffles me is that several years after, as I engage with people, this false narrative is still being propagated against the leader of the denomination even when he was talking about something important that could have helped someone's situation. People lost all objectivity when it comes to certain opinion.

I remember when I was a kid (about 10 years old) and we were playing football in the compound, then one of the tenant in another apartment seized our football on the premise that we were making too much noise. I never knew where she got the idea from, but as soon as my dad came back from work, she came to our flat to report that I was abusing her with my friends because she seized our football. I can still recollect the amazement that filled me when my dad called me to the room and narrated the accusation. I vehemently denied and that was another problem because I invariably called the woman a liar (she was a colleague of my dad when they were in higher institution) and in African culture, an adult does not lie. I remember crying when my dad punished me not because of the severity of the punishment but because of the injustice. For years, I was bittered about that incident until I became matured and learnt how to bear certain things.

My issue now is, do we know the import of spreading lies and rumor confidently especially what we never witnessed? Do we know how dangerous it is and how suicidal some people can get because of the injustice they have received?

On a final note, in the bible, John the Baptist sent his disciples to go and verify from Jesus if he was the one they were expecting and the response of Jesus is very clear. After performing some miracles in their presence, he instructed them to "Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard". Think about this the next time you are to report confidently about an incident you have only heard but not witnessed.