In-fift-plus years of post-colonial existence, Nigeria has had a vibrant broadcasting experience. Sadly, in comparison to their colleagues in other professions, broadcasters are not as handsomely remunerated, regaled and celebrated as their peers who ply their trade on the international media space. Even closer home, it’s amazing how easily the part-bit Nollywood debutante gets more front-page mention in both tabloid and sleaze alike. You may argue that this neglect might be blamed more on the somewhat reclusive lifestyle of the average broadcast practitioner – especially if he is the radio personality, an ‘often heard, never seen’ lifestyle that most broadcasters find extremely adaptable. And how often have you seen your favourite television newscaster on a shopping spree at Shoprite? Broadcasters like to keep their private lives ‘private’. You may now better appreciate why some of us sometimes shudder at the negative, headline-seeking notoriety of many of today’s present crop of broadcast wannabes.
Radio broadcasting was actually first introduced into Nigeria as a form of distributive system in 1933. The Post and Telegraphs (P&T) received and retransmitted via the wire system of BBC News, which was latter called the Radio Diffusion System, or simply, Rediffusion. In 1939, a station was opened in Ibadan. Then, Kano station was commissioned in 1939. While between 1945 to 1949, stations were opened in Kaduna, Enugu, Abeokuta, Ijebu-Ode, Jos, Zaria, Calabar and Port-Harcourt, as relay stations.
The Nigerian Broadcasting Service (later NBC/FRCN/Radio Nigeria) was eventually established in 1951, and by 1959, the Western Regional Government had set up the famed ‘first TV station in Africa, WNTV’. Since then, with the increasing state structure, and the introduction of private broadcasting, we have witnessed a massive explosion of a number of broadcast entities in Nigeria.
We may argue forever over how broadcasting has helped enhance the Nigeria vision, and whether broadcast service are improving or not, and if broadcasters deserve any rewards, at all. Many other bodies and organizations not directly related to the broadcast media have attempted at recognizing the radio and television media personalities on an array of award stages over the years, and one must commend these privately-sponsored initiatives for the effort. The Nigerian Media Merit Awards has included some broadcast awards in its much-celebrated annual awards over the last few editions. Various soft sell magazines have a number of awards where they also manage to squeeze in a few awards for radio and television personalities too, but these fringe awards can never equate with the same thing as having an authentic broadcasters’ awards, and I believe the time is ripe to initiate such broadcast industry-only awards.
The best commendation that any professional person can get is accolade by his or her peers. And the time has come for broadcasters, past and present, to come together for the sustenance and future of our calling, to reward excellence and diligence. Many have complained about the tragedy, that is the embarrassing fall in standard of performance and quality of presentation. Standards will fall if listening away to our music on demand iPonds while our radio and television stations are destroying whatever is left of the glorious heritages that some great practitioners of the esoteric art have built!
It is time for broadcast media practitioners, past and present, to reunite for the profession. Broadcasters of like minds have always tried to come together – I recall one attempt at setting up an all-embracing broadcasters guild during and after the COJA All Africa Games in 2003. COJA had brought some of Nigeria’s best broadcasters to form an announcers’ unit for the various games and also to coordinate the opening and closing ceremonies of the continental sport fiesta. Among the roll – Ikenna Ndaguba (The Great One! God bless his kind-hearted soul), Ohi Alegbe, Taiwo Obileye, Soni Irabor, Bimbo Oloyede, Joan O’Dwyer, the late great Tony St.lyke, Jones Usen, Daphne Atere-Roberts, Femi Segun, Femi Ashowo, Sadiq Daba, Tunde Osuntolu and Charles Ojugbana. We held a few meetings in Abuja during the games, and in Lagos, shortly after, deliberating name, objective, mission, protem officials and focus, joined by the like of Bisi Olatilo and John Momoh. Unfortunately, we found it very difficult to arrive at common ground for a number of reasons. Recently, Jones Usen, the indefatigable broadcaster of repute has been engineering a campaign to resuscitate the broadcasters’ body. He needs to be supported. There are many benefits of coming together as a professional group. America’s National Association of Broadcasters is regarded as the voice for that country’s radio and television broadcasters, advancing the interests of members in government, industry and public affairs and improving the profitability and quality of broadcasting in many ways. AIB, the Association of International Broadcasters is the global radio and TV industry group that provides its members with intelligence, networking, promotions and more. By forming our own such body, we can help assist the existing stations in guiding and ensuring quality, and also provide ready professional assistance with related agencies like the National Broadcasting Commission.
It doesn’t really matter what the envisaged group becomes – an association of broadcasters, a broadcast practitioners guild, or whatever, most important is the essential duty that we must maintain our standards of excellence, recognize outstanding performances and celebrate our own respected heroes, some of whom have died, without applause, but many of whom are still with us today. How many can recognize these great names: Steve Rhodes, Tunji Marquis, Bola Johnson, Marius Ugabe, Yomi Onabolu, Mike Enahoro, Martins Okoh, Alex Conde, Khalifa Baba Ahmed, Benson Idonije, Veronica Osawere, Toba Opaleye, Sienne Allwell-Brown, Danladi Bako. These names, and many others should be lining up the walls of the Nigerian Broadcasters’ Hall of Fame! It is the only way to sustain and preserve the things we value most.
God’s guidance, as always.
– This piece was first published in 2011 in YES INTERNATIONAL!