How 60 years of television in Nigeria have shaped discourse

From a humble beginning 60 years ago, the television industry in Nigeria has lived up to expectations.

No doubt, it is not all rosy in the 60 years history of television broadcast in Nigeria. On October 31, 1959, from Agodi, in Ibadan, present Oyo State, the first television station not only in Nigeria but in tropical Africa, the Western Nigeria Television (WNTV), berthed. Mr Olapade Obisesan was the first Chairman. However, the vision of the then Premier of the defunct Western Region, late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, to establish the station was to entertain, educate and enlighten the people, but little did he knew, he was opening up Nigeria into a new vista of the media. Chief Awolowo was a great visionary leader. Ten years earlier, in 1949, he had established a private newspaper, the Nigerian Tribune, now the oldest surviving newspaper in the country.

Other regional governments started setting-up their television stations. Accordingly, a year later, the former Eastern Nigeria Television Service (ENTV) was established and followed by Radio Television Kaduna, as an arm of the Broadcasting Company of Northern Nigeria (BCNN) in March, 1962. The Federal Government followed suit a month later with the coming on board of the Nigerian Television Service (NTS) in Lagos. But the defunct Bendel State took the lead in the new wave of television acquisition by the state and established, in 1973, Bendel State Television Service. Benue-Plateau Television Corporation was established in 1974 as the first coloured station in Nigeria.

But, in 1977, the then military regime fused all the television stations into one entity with the name Nigerian Television (NTV). It was later renamed Nigerian Television Authority (NTA).

The NTA has expanded greatly across states of Nigeria with 101 states as at 2014 out of which nine are network centres. These are in Ibadan, Jos, Enugu, Kaduna, Lagos, Benin, Makurdi, Maiduguri and Sokoto.

Despite its age at 60 years, the pioneer television station is waxing stronger and the structures are still maintained. The Zonal Director of the station, Omolola Olorode attributed the successes of the station to the prudence of the management and prioritisation of the centre.

Speaking at the grand finale of its 60th anniversary held at the International Conference Centre, the University of Ibadan, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo commended the founding fathers of the station for their vision and mission for the country.

Osinbajo, who chaired the occasion, noted that every generation has a historic responsibility to reach for the highest peaks that human capacity could achieve.

“The event was historic for three reasons. First, it demonstrated the capacity of the Nigerian mind to conceive of and achieve anything no matter how complex or difficult. Second, it demonstrates how visionary leadership can inspire and lift people from the lowest level to the highest point of human imagination. Third, it exemplifies the use of public resources for the public good.”

According to him, in the free world, in particular, those who understood the value of education used it as a powerful proponent for the advancement of their people “and Papa [Awolowo] clearly understood that so long ago.”

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, represented by the Director-General, Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Yakubu Ibn Mohammed, tasked practitioners in the television industry on sound professionalism, enjoining “all the practitioners of the television industry to do a critical review of the motivation of the founding fathers in establishing the audio-visual platform. At the launch of WNTV on October 31, 1959, Chief Obafemi Awolowo had said that he envisioned television as an instrument of mass education and mobilisation of the people towards the attainment of rapid growth and development. Practitioners of the broadcasting industry must return to the path of honour and sound professionalism to sustain the industry’s pride and return it to its position of eminence in the ecosystem of our country called Nigeria.”

The highlight of the celebration included the presentation of special awards to the three visionaries of WNTV, Chiefs Awolowo, former Minister of Information for Western Region, Chief Anthony Enahoro and first chairman of the Western Nigeria Broadcasting Corporation, Chief Tanimonwo Solaru. The award for Awolowo was received by his first daughter, Rev’d (Mrs.) Tola Oyediran, who led other family members, including Executive Secretary of Obafemi Awolowo Foundation, Dr. Tokunbo Awolowo-Dosumu. The eldest surviving son of Enahoro, Chief Eugene Enahoro, as well as a daughter of Chief Solaru, Mrs. Bisi Shofunde.

The pioneer Director-General of NTA, Engr. Vincent Maduka, speaking about 60 years of television broadcast in Nigeria on an NTA programme “Good Morning Nigeria” expressed delight in the growth of the industry over the years.  According to him, from an engineering perspective, technology has greatly improved. He said from the use of cold studio lights, what is used now is good and does not require a huge amount of air conditioning to cool them.

Maduka, who once worked at the WNTV, also said with satellite broadcasting taking over, television can be received all over at any time. He also dwelt on content pointing out, indigenous inputs are well captured. “In the past when WNTV started, only 15 minutes were devoted to local contents and it is news while other programmes were imported films. There were no local entertainment programmes,” the former Director-General stressed.

Also on the same programme, Edward Amana, Chairman, Digitalization Team, bemoaned the gap in training of television personnel. According to him, despite years of television broadcast in Nigeria, tutelage of new entrants understudying those already on the field has been neglected.

Amana also said television stations, especially the NTA lacked in-house production as in the past like the must-watch programmes like the “Village Headmaster”, “Cockcrow at dawn” and “Mirror in the sun” among others. He said private producers, who are out to make a profit have taken over the space.

The Executive Director, Engineering, NTA, Engr. Stephen Okpanachi said with enhanced technology, NTA has been able to develop a variety of programmes but also lamented the gap in personnel.

The Head of Department, Mass Communication, Baze University, Abuja, Dr. Abiodun Adeniyi, noted that television in Nigeria has created roles and enforced integration, highlighting the commonness of the people consciously or unconsciously.

He also pointed out that the paradigm shift with the advent of private television provided alternative views on issues in Nigeria. “NTA is seen as a government Agenda Setting organization, but private television opened ways for alternative conversation and space for discussion.  The broadcast space is now highly liberalized and there is more freedom. Some private television stations are outstanding and have won many awards,” Dr. Adeniyi said.