OPINION: Radio Kwara and her many seasonal names. By Aliyu Olatunji Ajanaku

Date: 2019-05-28

I don't know how very partisan Radio Kwara was during Adamu Attah but of course the station must have gone through very divided loyalty during the Saalaake (cut it with axe) of Adamu Attah/Akanbi Oniyangi with backing from palace and Federal might in the red corner Vs Saraki (lone fighter) in the blue corner. Somehow I suspected the station tilted to Saraki in a way because in 1983, when Chief C O Adebayo was declared as winner, Radio Kwara relayed it. There was no nickname for the station, so to say. What's more, there was no competition.

During Shaaba, nothing much affected the station. Opposition was weak. They had no time for nicknaming Radio Kwara. Saraki was fully in charge.

Now came Gov Mohammed Lawal. As at this time, Gov Lawal was popular and even Baba Saraki declared him a "good boy". Then the intrigues began. Party Chairman of blessed memory and some leaders who were finding Lawal impenetrable began their scheming. Before you could say Jack Robinson, ANPP in Kwara became fictionalised. Upon realizing the power of Radio, Gov Lawal seized control of the station, fired Modibo in KWTV and merged the two stations under the leadership of seasoned broadcaster, Hajjia Mairo Mustapha. At that point Radio Kwara got a nickname, "Ile Ise Awon Mero". (Mairo's workplace). Guess who gave the nickname? Gov Lawal himself.

By the time Gov Saraki took over, several heads rolled. Nakeeb of Madrasat Mohammed, Dr Aliagan and Dr Olohunoyin were denied airtime on Radio Kwara, AbdulFattah Dan Kazeem was whisked out of the place and transferred to an obscure desk in Ministry of Information and others victims. Then for 16 straight years, Radio Kwara acquired a new nickname - "Radio Agbaji". That era will terminate on May 29th, 2019, In sha Allah. While the media terror lasted, the fortune of the state owned radio station began to dwindle as competition came with vigour. Harmony FM came in first, followed by Royal FM around 2011, then Unilorin Radio and many others later, particularly the super popular Sobi FM. Even with so-called world class equipment that Dr Akorede claimed to have bought for Radio Kwara and KWTV, still Radio Agbaji could not raise her head. Over time, many of the broadcasters there became partisan, leaning towards Sarakism. The station aired the jingle, "Bukola Saraki Aso Wa Ni", many more times than any other stations at a time that you would want to believe that most likely the airtime was being given out freely. Who pays the Piper dictates the tune, of course. The misfortune that affected Radio Kwara did not spare The Herald Newspapers as well as the Kwara TV.

On May 29th, 2019, alliances will change again. The songs will change. The next four years, will definitely witness a 180 degrees turn. Will the station become "Radio Idi Igba"? If it does become, will it affect it's fortune? Only time will tell.

But honestly, change is good sha.

@Ajax

 

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

Muslim Stakeholders Of Kwara State     Ibrahim Gambari     Bello Oyedepo     National Association Of Nigerian Students     Abubakar Suleiman     Oke Sunna     GRA     Offa     Aliyu Muhammed     Temi Kolawole     Abdul Jimoh Mohammed     Ibraheem Adeola Katibi     Suleman Abubakar     Labaeka     Yusuf Lanre Badmus     Hikmah AbdulKareem     Umar Sanda Yusuf     Ghali Alaaya     Sardauna Of Ilorin     Nigeria Foundation For Artificial Intelligence     Ita-Nmo Market     Garba Ayodele Wahab     Moshood Kashimawo Abiola     Muhammed Danjuma     Kwara State Polytechnic     AbdulRaheem Ahmad Shayi     Women Radio     Surajudeen Akanbi     Madawaki     Oro Grammar School     Kwara State Sports Commission     Oluronke Adeyemi     Ibrahim Abdulkadir Abikan     Ishak Mohammed Sabi     Sherif Shagaya     Olugbense     Yekeen Alabi     Sabi     Sarah Jubril     Kwara Liberation Group     Kwara Consultative Forum     Ahmed     Ibrahim Agboola Gambari     Federal Road Maintenance Agency     Kwara Primary Health Care Development Agency     Aliyu Adebayo     Wahab Isa     Oluranti Idowu     Ayodele Olaosebikan     Yusuf Badmus     Oja-Oba     Minister     Ilorin Emirate Stakeholders Forum     Ilesha-Baruba-Gwanara     Iqra Books     Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital     Dan-Kazeem     Femi Agbaje     Kayode Issa     Tunji Moronfoye     KWASAA     Oluwatoyin Lukman     Mope Dasuki Belgore     LEAH Charity Foundation     ENetSuD     Dapo Teni Nig Enterprise     Olupako Of Share     Amos Bajeh     Federal College Of Education (Special), Afon     Adesoye College     Kulende     Muhammad Yahya     Sheikh Ridhwanullah     ASMAU PLAZA     Boko Haram     Abdul-Rahoof Bello     Jimoh Bashir    

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

Ojuekun     HYPPADEC     Kwara North     Shururat Olatinwo     Oba Abdulkadir La\'aro     James Kolo     Ramadan     Titus Ashaolu     Lanre Aremu     Abdulganiyu AbdulAzeez     Senate President     07039448763     Onilorin Of Ilorin     Omotosho     Ganmo     Micheal Imodu-Ganmo Road     Yahya Mohammed     All Confederation Of Principals Of Secondary Schools     Abdulquawiy Olododo     Centre For Peace And Strategic Studies     Kawu Baraje     Toyin Olayinka Tejidini     Sabo-Oke     Abatemi Usman     Henry Olaosebikan     Babajide Ajayi     Valsolar     Funmilayo Isiaka Oniwa     COVID-19 Palliatives     Raliat Elelu-Habeeb     Adamu Ibrahim Sabi     Dorcas Afeniforo     Kwara United     Kola Shittu     Bamidele Adegoke     Abdulrosheed Okiki     Yakubu Danladi     Yetunde Balogun     Bashirat Bola Bello     Ilorin Emirate     Joshua Adeyemi Adimula     Kamoru Kadiri     Muhammed Abdullahi     Chief Imam Of Lafiagi     Bluenile Associates     Harrison Osauwagboe     Ayodele Kuburat Olaosebikan     John Dara     Ayinde Oki     Alaaya     Kayode Bankole     Towobola Abdulrahman Toyin     Bond     Segun Adeniyi     Okala Baba     Esuwoye     Oko-Olowo     Wahab Kunle Shittu     Amosa     Ilorin East     Code Of Conduct Bureau     GAMA     Salihu Ajia     Adaramaja     Dan Masanin     Aishat Sulu-Gambari     Road Transport Employers Association Of Nigeria     College Of Arabic And Islamic Legal Studies     Towoju     Ishaq Salman     Lucky Omoluwa     Budo Egba     Laboratory-to-Product     Sheikh Alimi     Abioye Bello     Police Commissioner     Yusuf Zulu-Gambari