Radio 4's Thought for the Day labelled racist over claims Africans suffer from 'endemic moral deficit'

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The BBC has been hit with complaints over alleged racism on the spirituality slot Thought for the Day, which is part of Radio 4's Today programme.

Anger was sparked by claims on the long-running programme that Africans suffered from an 'endemic moral deficit'.

In the item, which recently aired on the show, journalist and author Clifford Longley quoted a conversation between him and a Nigerian theologian.

He claimed the other person told him that 'African culture has always lacked a developed sense of common humanity'.

The presenter quoted the theologian as saying this explained 'Africa's propensity to turn to massacre and genocide'.

But these comments led the BBC's Black and Asian Forum to complain to the corporation's director of news Helen Boaden and Today editor Ceri Thomas.

In the broadcast which aired on June 30, Longley said: 'A Nigerian moral theologian I met recently was quite frank about it: African culture has always lacked a developed sense of common humanity, of the solidarity that extends beyond village and family and which entails a commitment to the common good.

'This 'us and them' mentality was not just tribal. The moral deficit explained, he said, how African tribal chiefs had felt no moral qualms about capturing slaves from neighbouring districts and selling them to white slave traders; and later, doing land deals with white settlers.'

Hence also Africa's propensity to turn to massacre and genocide such as we saw in Rwanda and Congo, and narrowly avoided seeing again very recently in Kenya.'

But, frustrated that the Black and Asian forum did not get a reply from bosses, chair Winston Phillips wrote to in-house paper Ariel.

He claimed the BBC should make sure that it does not present 'racist or xenophobic' views in an 'unqualified way'.

Phillips said the incident highlighted the need for the BBC culture to change as soon as possible.

He also claimed it reflected the need for more black and ethnic minority staff in senior positions at the corporation.