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.

Labour Party     Senior Staff Union Of Colleges Of Education     Abubakar Kawu Baraje     Eghe Igbinehin     Rapheal Ashaolu     Agor Market     Afolabi-Oshatimehin     Trade Lenda SME Fair     David Adesina     Roheemat Hammed     Mubarak Oladosu     Erubu Oba Zubair     Yusuf Mubarak     Maryam A. Garuba     Yoonus Kola Olatinwo     Paul Olawoore     Moshood Bakare     Ilorin Curfew     Mohammed Ajia Ibrahim     Majlis For Sadakah, Zakat And Waqf     Playing Host     Chief Imam Of Lafiagi     Centre For Digital Economy     Ambassador Kayode Laro     Alloy Chukwuemeka     Isiaka Danmeromu     Akande Idowu Ayoola Muhammed     Abdulsalam A. Yusuf     Oke Sunna     Ministry Of Women Affairs And Social Development     Share     Elesie Of Esie     Tosho Yaqub     Awwal Jawondo     Vasolar-Kwara Company Ltd     Ilorin Emirate Stakeholders Forum     AbdulKareem Yusuf Danhawa     Olabode Towoju     Samari     Firdaos Amasa     Balogun Ajikobi     Kwara State Branch Of The National Library     Ahmad Olanrewaju Belgore     Ibrahim Agboola Gambari     Fatai Garuba Labaka     Kabir Shagaya     Kayode Laro     Dorcas Afeniforo     Maryam Nurudeen     Kwasu     Niyi Osundare     Baboko     Abdulkadri Ahmad Alaiye     Muhammad Yahya     Senate President     Issa Memunat Moyosore     Saidu Kawu     Dumagi     Kannike     Apado     Amina El-Imam     Toyin Falola     Omu Aran     Vasolar Consultoria     Ilesha-Baruba-Gwanara     Rotimi Samuel Olujide     Ezekiel Yissa Benjamin     Garba Ado Sanni     AbdulRaheem Ahmad Shayi     Emir Of Lafiagi     UITH     Shero     Garuba Alikinla Shittu     AbdulHakeem Ajibola Akanbi     Saadu Yusuf     Alagbado     Millennium Development Goals    

Cloud Tag: What's trending

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

Kumbi Titilope     Gbemisola Saraki     Ajidagba     Ndakene     Mary Kemi Adeosun     Turaki     Chief Of Staff     Simeon Sule Ajibola     Kwara NIPR     Umar Ayinla Saro     Oke-Kura     Ajasse-Ipo     Raji Ayodele Kamaldeen     GANZY     Bahago     Women For Change And Development Initiative     Hassanat Bello     Reuben Paraje     Kwara State Branch Of The National Library     Funmilayo Oniwa     Tosin Saraki     Olupako Of Share     Shuaibu Yaman     Government High School Adeta     Rafiu Ajakaye     Alabere     Tosho Yaqub     Kazeem Gbolagade     Abdulrauf Aliyu     AbdulRazaq Jiddah     Cornelius Fawenu     Earlyon Technologies     Sulyman Abdulkareem     Ilorin.Info     Orire     Suleman Abubakar     Democracy Day     Babatunde Ajeigbe     Government Girls’ Day Secondary School Pakata     Quareeb     Offa Descendants Union     Yinka Aluko     Haliru Dantoro     National Broadcasting Commission     Government High School (GHS), Adeta     Amasa     Mutawalle     John Kehinde Salako     Yusuf A. Usman     Eleyele     Law School Scholarship     Mubarak Oladosu     Timothy Olatunde Fadipe     Mohammed Khadijat Kubura     Saidu Yaro Musa     Hussein Olokooba     Onilorin Of Ilorin     Abraysports FC     Olofa Of Offa     Saliu Mustapha     Ishola Abdullahi     Olam Food Ingredients     2023 Elections     Wale Oladepo     Ibrahim Kayode Adeyemi     Risikat Lawal     Oba Abdulrahim     Sobi FM     Wahab Egbewole     Sunset Workers     Madawaki     Sarkin Malamai     Olomu Of Omu-Aran     Moshood Kashimawo Abiola     Saba Jibril     Mohammed Saidu     Basit Olatunji