FRCN Kaduna: Gasping for voice

Founded in 1962 by Sir Ahmadu Bello, Sardauna of Sokoto, the first Premier of the Northern Region, the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), formerly known as Radio Kaduna, has served as the voice of the region for decades.

The radio station played a role that led to the success of Nigeria’s civil war of 1967 and has a large listenership across the Hausa-speaking states and sub-Saharan region in countries like Niger, Chad, Mali, Cameroon, among others.

The famous radio station once broadcast in Hausa, English, Nupe, and Kanuri languages on 6090 kHz shortwave, while the English programme was heard on 4770 kHz.

Over the years, some changes were made, and the station now has FM channels in Kaduna City, which include the Supreme FM on 96.1 MHz and Karama FM on 92.1 MHz.

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However, the radio station, one of the only surviving legacies of Sardauna, has lost its glory due to years of neglect. It now battles to survive due to challenges ranging from funding to obsolete equipment, making it difficult for the station to be on air.

Its latest problem is the inability of its managers to settle the backlog of electricity bills owed to the local electricity distribution company.

Investigation revealed that for months, the station was off the air due to power as it had been disconnected from the power supply. Following a debt of more N300 million, even though the power has been reconnected a week ago.

Our correspondent, who visited the station, also gathered that part of the many problems of the station, which were earlier reported by this paper in 2021, are overstaffing, poor staff welfare, poor working environment, amongst others.

It was observed that even though the station still has competent and dedicated staff, an unfriendly working environment coupled with a lack of equipment, had made them redundant.

Daily Trust findings revealed that the station presently has the oldest transmitter in Nigeria, which was installed in May 1981 with a lifespan of 10-15 years but is still being used 42 years after.

Sources from the station said the manufacturers of the transmitter have since stopped producing its type for years.

It was also observed that the only generator serving the station is old, making things difficult for the station as it has to rely on public power supply for its operations.

Daily Trust also observed that most of the office furniture in the station is in bad condition, and the staff lack enough chairs to sit and work.

A senior staff at the station, who doesn’t want to be named because he was not authorised to speak, said FRCN Kaduna used to have nine transmitters for its Hausa service alone.

According to him, presently, the English and Language services of the station have stopped working, saying only the Hausa service remains on air.

“If I could remember, the last transmitter was bought 42 years ago, so we felt if our past leaders had invested in strengthening the station, we wouldn’t have gotten to this state.

“Do you know that all our transmitters were phased out because they are analogue because we didn’t invest in digitalisation introduced years back? Again, as we speak, Jaji and Katabu stations where our transmitters are kept are not even fenced for years. So, the station is in dire need of special intervention from the government before it collapses completely,” he said.

He also added that the FM stations introduced during Obasanjo’s administration to assist the National Station and take care of grassroots broadcasting are not operating up to 30 per cent capacity due to inadequate funding and managerial policy.

Another staff member noted that, ordinarily, with modern equipment, the station can tackle its financial challenges because it can compete with other private stations across the region and country.

He said the station could have been used to address the issue of banditry that is plaguing the region.

“It’s sad that with the wide reach of the station across the sub-Saharan region, we are still battling insecurity in the forest, whereas the Fulfulde service could have been used to address the problem a long time ago,” he said.

Another female staff member from the FM station lamented on the dilapidated state of the station.

“Months after we returned on air, the electricity was disconnected again until there was an intervention from Abuja before the power was restored. We were told we still owe the electric company,” she said.

Most of the workers interviewed lamented over poor working conditions, as many said the lack of adequate equipment made them redundant because the station is always off the air, making their listeners tune to other private stations.

FG will regret neglecting FRCN Kaduna – EX DG

 A former Director General of FRCN and a one-time Director General Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Alhaji Mohammed Ibrahim, said the federal government and northern leaders will regret if FRCN Kaduna collapses.

He said there is the urgent need for the authorities concerned to find a solution to the bad condition of the radio station that once served as the darling of the northern region and sub-Saharan Africa.

Alhaji Mohammed who is the District Head of Ringim, Jigawa State, said the major problem of both FRCN Kaduna and FRCN nationally is the lack of modern equipment, adding that they need massive re-equipment to claim their former lost glory and to return to the airwaves loud and clear to serve the public for which they were known for.

“I believe that the federal government owes it a duty to make sure that the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria is sustained to carry out the public service responsibility of educating, informing and enlightening the public and also a partner in the development of broadcasting in Nigeria, in partnership with the federal government, in partnership with the National Assembly, in partnership with the states.

“I am amazed that some of the governors of the northern states have not responded positively to the problems of FRCN Kaduna at a time when the station is on the verge of collapse. Although some have, but at this time they owe it a duty to come out with one voice to tell the federal government that whatever they have to do, they have to do it to make sure that FRCN Kaduna and indeed the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria are not left or abandoned to collapse,” he said.

According to him, presently there is a strong outcry from the public when they wake up in the morning and open the station but hear nothing; even if transmitting, the frequent breakdown is most embarrassing, and for a country like Nigeria, it is more embarrassing.

“I feel disgusted, I feel disappointed that such a wonderful organisation with a lot of skills, a lot of confidence, a lot of ability to serve the nation is being neglected; even the British government did not neglect the BBC. So, I don’t see any reason why FRCN should be neglected. The federal government will regret neglecting the FRCN,” he said.

He also recalled that in 2008 when late President Umaru Musa Yar’adua appointed him to chair a committee set up to look into the problems of FRCN to come up with  recommendations.

According to him, the committee went to Lagos to see the facilities, including the facilities of Voice of Nigeria (VON), Enugu, Ibadan, and Kaduna, saying within four weeks, they finished the report and submitted it to then Minister of Information John Odey.

“We made three recommendations: the immediate, medium, and long term on the development of FRCN. Unfortunately, by the time we submitted the report, Umar Yar’adua was sick. I remembered very well he told me to meet with the minister of finance then that he will bring a supplementary budget for that year, and I met with the minister who told me that the president told him I will come and explain in details to him in order to appreciate the urgency and the need for the supplementary budget.

“I did but whether the minister submitted the recommendations or did not act on the report, I can’t say, but the report was submitted for the president to take appropriate action, but I’m sure late President Yar’adua was ready to implement the report if he gets it.”

He said after the death of Yar’adua other governments that followed failed to attend to the needs of the station.

“I remember personally making an effort to push for the implementation of the report during President Buhari’s administration.’’

He said he distributed copies to key northerners in the government of President Buhari to help them take action, but they didn’t.

We need prayers, understanding from our listeners- Zonal director

FRCN Kaduna Zonal Director, Buhari Auwalu said the organisation required special prayers and understanding from its listeners across the region regarding the condition of the station.

He said the current Minister of Information, Muhammad Idris, and the Director-General of FRCN had visited the station in December 2023, to see firsthand its condition.

“They were taken round the locations and saw all the challenges facing the station. So, we need prayers and understanding because it’s an issue that should have been addressed years back,” he said.