RADIO HAS NOT LOST ITS MOJO!!!
Despite all the daunting challenges being faced by radio, everybody spoken to on the 2025 World Radio Day unanimously agrees that radio is IT!
Our Papa, Venerable Tayo Adebayo, who retired as Controller of Programmes from Radio Nigeria, Ibadan in 1992 teed of the discussion by informing us that he joined NBC in 1968 as Studio Manager and was posted to the provincial Broadcasting House in Ijebu Ode from where he participated in many programmes and distinguished himself to earn transfer to Ibadan and upgraded to Announcer.
He said standards were higher then with strict adherence to the Announcers' Code of Conduct than the all comers affair currently induced by proliferation of radio stations. He asked for training and re-training of broadcasters to improve the quality of broadcast adding "if you do not train them, do not blame them".
He mentioned broadcast greats like Pa Adisa Balogun, Bankole Balogun, Isola Folorunso, Chief Olaniran Olayemi Ogungbemi, Oyewole Olowomojuore, Dare Ajetunmobi, Mama Olabisi Kasumu and many others who ruled the airwaves then. I thank Mummy Kasumu for linking me up with the living broadcast legend!
Back in the studio, highly cerebral Double B unpacked radio from the efforts of Marconi to date. He averred that over five billion of the 8 billion people in the world listen to radio adding that the world currently has about 44,000 radio stations and counting!
He declared that radio is the only friend that humanity has got! Mr. Biodun Bello made a case for payment of some form of royalty to radio stations which he described as providing free service! He paid tributes to iconic broadcasters like late Kolawole Olawuyi, Gbenga Adeboye, Prince Toyin Gbadebo and Peter Okodua. He urged young professionals to imbibe hard work through constant practice, reading and research.
Double B recalled late Dr. Femi Sonaike's injunction (our HOD then at Ogun Poly) that "Radio is a good capsule or tablet, the listener uses to tackle an ailment" adding that radio speaks to audience of one. He described the theme as apt and urged all to join advocacy for protecting the earth!
Parliamentarians congratulated all on the occasion. MOK from Ayetoro described radio "As food being eaten by everybody on daily basis" adding that people call him as "Baba Rockcity", while Ola Animashaun said he could not imagine not listening to radio in a day adding "I can't imagine what my life would be without radio".
After the programme, I moved to the iconic Iwe Iroyin Hall where Premium Radio Chapel of Ogun NUJ marked the World Radio Day with a lecture on the theme "Radio and Climate Change" delivered by the erudite Commissioner for Environment in Ogun State, Mr. Ola Oresanya. For over an hour, the Commissioner wowed attendees as he explained the need for everybody to protect the environment by stopping activities piercing the protective blanket covering the earth from the excessive rays of the sun called "ozone layer".
He said these activities like use of firewood, burning of refuse, gas flaring, automobile and generator emissions and deforestation are negatively affecting the environment.
He charged broadcasters, journalists and indeed all Nigerians to get educated on the urgent need to protect our environment. He said the afore-mentioned activities were responsible for global warming, desert encroachment, flash floods and farmers herders clashes and insecurity.
Mr. Oresanya charged broadcasters to use drama, jingles and other ingenious ways to increase awareness about the environment.
He said Lake Chad had disappeared because of deforestation.
He cited how he and others used radio to combat the waste menace in Lagos State adding "we used 13 radio stations every week for ten years. Radio is the best vehicle for social engineering and shaping policy".
He charged radio stations to be proactive rather than reactive by warning people about impending disasters. He noted that all hands must be on deck to reduce the humongous "Carbon Footprint" of Ogun State as a result of the many factories and industries especially cement factories domiciled in the state. He charged all to plant trees that will absorb methane released into the air and commended the "Omu Forest Cover". He said 50 trees should be planted to replace one tree cut for whatever purpose!
Radio is a veritable instrument to talk to people real time and on line in their languages. The Commissioner defended the use of telephone now common on radio and said it afforded the public the opportunity of airing the views and feelings. He said he was an ardent listener of radio and enjoys getting feedbacks from people!
Many thanks to the inimitable avatar, Papa Obafemi Awolowo for giving us the first radio station WNBS! Like Don Williams sang Keep...listening to the radio. Radio still rocks!
