COZA: PUNCH newspaper sacks editor over offensive cartoon

COZA: PUNCH newspaper sacks editor over offensive cartoon

The PUNCH newspaper has sacked its Daily Editor, Martin Ayankola over an offensive cartoon published last week Thursday. The sack was due to its back

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The PUNCH newspaper has sacked its Daily Editor, Martin Ayankola over an offensive cartoon published last week Thursday. The sack was due to its back page column written by Abimbola Adelakun, with the title “What Does Mrs. Fatoyinbo Know.” A cartoon with a man desecrating the bible with urine was attached to the article.

Also, the Saturday Editor Olabisi Deji-Folutile also told relieved of his duties over same issue. The cartoon created heated debates and controversy with many Christians saying it cast aspersion on the Christian faith and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Ayankola who was forced to resign his appointment, had just finished a one-week suspension before he was fired by the newspaper over the offensive cartoon. Ayankola was appointed to the office in 2013 with the media outlet earlier apologizing over the matter and promising to sanction those responsible.

“On the back of the page of the Thursday, July 4, 2019 edition of the PUNCH, we published a cartoon to illustrate an article titled, ‘What does Mrs. Fatoyinbo know?’ The cartoon features a character desecrating the Holy Bible,” it earlier noted.

“We apologise for the offensive cartoon and assure our esteemed readers that we hold the Christian faith in high regard. We have since commenced the process of applying appropriate sanctions to the members of staff responsible, and we shall be reviewing our editorial process to prevent re-occurrence.”

Similarly, Bimbo Adelakun, the author of the said column, has been asked to rest the column for a while.