The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Broadcaster

  • Broadcaster laments poor English pronunciation

    A veteran broadcaster, Mrs Bimbo Oloyede, has called on English Language experts to take up the challenge of correcting pronunciation errors among speakers in Nigeria.

    Mrs Oloyede, who worked with the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) and Channels TV, said the problem of poor pronunciation is rife among public speakers, journalists, customer service providers, teachers, and politicians.

    Speaking last Thursday at a briefing ahead the presentation of her book on June 25, Oloyede said she wrote ‘Strictly Speaking’ to address the grammatical imbalance.

    Oloyede linked the development to poor training, first language intrusion, and illiteracy among others.

    “Strictly Speaking” would help educationists, information, politicians, corporate and entertainment professionals to learn proper pronunciation,” she said.

    As non-native speakers of the English Language, Mrs Oloyede said Nigerians, especially programme presenters on radio and television, masters of ceremony, custom officers, especially at the airports, teachers, motivational speakers and preachers required mastery of the language spoken globally to avoid bad influences on their audience, and especially the young ones.

    She said another publication targeted at students would be available during the public presentation.

    “As a practitioner in the broadcast sector, I have been concerned about the falling standards of presentation and pronunciation permeating our air waves as well as the poor performance of public officials within our public space.

    “The book is, therefore, based on the belief that articulation and effective communication, is an efficient tool that strengthens personal and corporate development, promotes educational advancement, and enhances dynamic information dissemination and good governance,” she said.

    Mrs Oloyede said former Nigeria’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom Dr Christopher Kolade, would chair the book launch while the Chairman of Channels Media Group, Dr. John Momoh would serve as one of the book reviewers.

  • Broadcaster accused of murder gets bail in Ibadan

    An Oyo State High Court has  granted bail  a broadcaster, Oriyomi Hamzat,  and four others, accused  of  the murder of a teenager.

    Justice M.I. Sule granted  each defendant  bail at N2 million  with two sureties.

    Sule said one of the sureties must be a civil servant on Grade Level 14 while the other must be a business man.

    News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)  reports that the case was first heard at an Iyaganku Magistrates’  Court on August  1.

    It was, however, transferred to the high court as the magistrates’ court had no jurisdiction to hear the case. .

    Hamzat, 37;  Idowu Ibrahim , 27;  Mohammed Bashir, 31;  Taiwo Olaronke ,23;  and Yusuf  Toheeb Ajisafe, 23, were arraigned  on a two-count charge of conspiracy and murder.

    The Prosecutor, Insp. Sunday Fatola,  told the court the defendants  conspired  to commit murder.

    Fatola alleged the defendants unlawfully  caused the death of Peter by inflicting an injury on his head and body.

    He said Peter, an inmate at a home owned by the  Make a Future Alive Initiative, an NGO  owned by Hamzat,  was found dead at the home.

    Fatola said the alleged offences were committed on July 21  about 4 a.m,  at the home at Oremeji Agugu, Ibadan.

    He said the offences  contravened  Sections  324 and 316 and were punishable under Section 319 of the Criminal Code Cap 38, Vol .II, Laws of Oyo State,  2000.

    The plea of  the defendants  was not taken by the court.

  • Broadcaster’s mum for burial

    Broadcaster’s mum for burial

    All is set for the burial of a community leader, Mrs. Oyidia Orji, mother of renowned broadcaster Orji Ogbonnaya Orji, now Director, Communications, Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) at the Presidency, Abuja. She will be buried on November 1 in Ugwuavor, Arochukwu in Abia State. Mrs Orji died at the age of 87.

    Until her death, Ma Oyidia was the Eze Nwanyi (women leader) of Ugwuavor and Mother-General of Christ Ascension Church, Arochukwu.

    An agent of community mobi-lisation and social worker, Madam Orji, led the  women in  her community  Ugwuavor, Arochukwu  to embrace self- development initiatives and economic empowerment programmes through entrepreneurship. As a social worker, she was also involved in   conflict prevention, management and resolution infamilies in the community.  In recognition of her services, she was honoured as “Nne-oha Arochukwu” in 2005 by Nzuko Arochukwu women’s wing.

    Ma Oyidia Orji held the position of Mother-General of the Christ Ascension Church Arochukwu and contributed immensely to Christian evangelism. She is survived by six children, grand and great grand children.

    A statement by the family explained that Madam Oyidia Orji’s funeral begins with a Christian wake in her family compound, Eziukwu, Ugwuavor, Arochukwu on October 31.

  • ‘I always wanted to be a broadcaster’

    ‘I always wanted to be a broadcaster’

    Alero Jadesimi, ace broadcaster, entrepreneur and daughter of first republic minister, Festus Okotie Eboh, reflects on her days as a broadcaster, turning 70 and her passion for mentoring young ones. She spoke with Yetunde Oladeinde.

    WHAT does it feel like at 70?

    It feels just like yesterday. I do not feel any difference because I work, I still work. I have always worked and maybe that has helped.

    Would you consider yourself accomplished at 70?

    Well, that is for other people to judge, not me. I wanted to be a broadcaster as a young girl and I became a broadcaster. First, I worked as a broadcaster in Sierra Leone. Then I moved on to work with the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) for about five years. Those were the early days when it was known as NBC /WNTV and I worked with people like Segun Olushola who was the controller, Michael Olumide who was the director and others like Bode Alalade, Ikenna Ndaguba, Friday Ifode and Buky Ajayi. It was a very interesting part of my life. If we had to turn back the hands of time, I would still have loved to be a broadcaster.

    Tell us about your love for mentoring

    I initiated a non-governmental organisation called Youth Business Initiative. Through the organisation, we help young people to start their own businesses. Once this is done, we then invite accomplished people to be mentors to this young people. So, that basically is what I do for young people. Young Nigerians should work hard but again they need to be supported, because Nigeria of today is hard.

    Insecurity and the kidnap of the Chibok girls are some of the issues that the nation is battling with at the moment. What does this mean to you?

    It is obviously a tragedy. I would never have dreamt that such a thing could happen in Nigeria. We love children and most people would be ready to lay their lives for them. So for a lot of our people this is shocking. I admire the women who are out there campaigning for these children to be free. What else can they do? We have to keep it on the front burner. We can’t afford to let it die.

    Your father was a renowned politician, why didn’t you think of stepping into his shoes?

    I don’t think that there was any way I could have stepped into his shoes. He inspired me in the sense that I am interested in politics and I am aware of politics. I do get myself interested in what’s going on but other than that, active politics is not for me. Why? Because I think that the terrain for women is not yet right.

    Would you encourage any of your children to go into politics?

    Why not! If that is what they want, I would support and encourage them. Absolutely!

    Is there something or someone that you consider as the greatest influence in your life?

    Yes, that would be my parents.

    You have not talked about your husband

    I wouldn’t describe him as the greatest influence in my life because when we met, we were already adults and our views about life were shaped. He is a brilliant man, very bright. We met in London as students. He was in the male hostel and I was in the female hostel. He was then the typical fine, young man and I was a fine, young Itsekiri woman.

    How would you assess the performance of women in politics today?

    Oh! That’s an unfair question. That’s a very dangerous question. All I can say is that it is encouraging to see that women are participating more in politics. In those days, it was only people like Funmilayo Ransome Kuti and Mrs. Margaret Ekpo that were visible. Those were the only people that we kept hearing about. Those were the women that were in politics and were not really in politics. They were in the background in the 40s, encouraging the men. But today, you have women taking the front line and it is obvious that the future would be brighter. However, what I would like to see is women actually running for governorship positions as well as the presidency and not just for the positions of deputies. I want to see a woman run for these positions in her own right and I think that we have the women who can do it.

    At 70, you are older than the entity called Nigeria, could this be the Nigeria of your dream?

    Unfortunately, no. I was very young when my father was participating in politics but I do remember that the way people approached politics then was very different. When Zik came to Sapele for instance, all the schools would be out, regardless of the fact that you were NCNC or whatever and everyone would be shouting Zik in admiration. It was the same when Awolowo came around and people would come out to applaud him. That is different from what we have today; it is worse where you have security people guarding them away from the people. Politics for me means interacting with the people. How can you do that when you are not able to reach the person representing you? There are a number of disappointments in different sectors of the economy. We have the potential; both human and mineral resources. We have the brains and wherever you go in the world, you find Nigerians who are at the top of their game and doing well. We need to translate all these to the infrastructure around us and I think it can be done.

    We have to start with education and I am disappointed with the schools. It is sad that students have been allowed to go down.

    At what point did we miss it?

    I can’t really say, but I do know that it was a very long time ago.

    Let’s talk about some of your memorable moments in life

    I guess when my parents were alive and probably when we were living in Sapele before my father became a minister. My mum was very supportive. When he was in Lagos, he had a school in the village and my mother was running the school. He was very passionate about education. That was her role and she enjoyed that.

    What are the things that you shared in common with your parents?

    I think they were disciplined and had respect for the elders. That I got from them.

    You sure look twenty years younger; tell us about the secrets of your look.

    Well, I think that is probably genetic and it runs in the family. My mum was 83 years old when she died but she did not look 83 at that point. Unfortunately, my dad died earlier. In those days, when someone was 50, he sounded ancient, but these days, 50 years is almost nothing.  The truth is that I also eat well.

  • Broadcaster kidnapped in Port Harcourt

    A popular broadcaster with Wazobia FM, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Anthony Akatakpo, also known as “Akas Baba”, has been abducted.

    Akatakpo was abducted from his home in Rumuekini, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area about 2 a.m. yesterday.

    It was gathered that the gunmen, whose number could not be ascertained, knocked on his door, but he refused to open it.

    They cut the burglary proof before breaking the door.

    On entering the house, they shot Akatakpo in the leg and asked for money, which his wife, Candy, gave to them.

    They also took the keys to a Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) and the woman’s trinkets.

    Commissioner of Police Tunde Ogunsakin, who visited Akatakpo’s home yesterday, assured his wife the police would ensure the release of her husband.

    Ogunsakin said: “We will get there. Wherever he is, we will get there. We will put everything in motion to unravel it. I can assure you that we will get there.”

    Reliving her experience, Candy said her husband was shot in the leg before he was taken away in the car, LSD 871 CM.

    “They shot the gun directly at my husband’s leg. Part of the bullet also entered my leg. Before they left, they said if I have N10 million, they will release him. They said as a wife I know what to do.

    “They asked for the car keys, which we gave to them. They carried my husband away with them. I believe they put him inside the boot. I am appealing to those involved to please release my husband.”