WNTV-WNBS: A Lost Era Of Merit And Creativity

BY HIGH CHIEF LEKAN ALABI

Two of the values that drive the world in its orbit of civilisation and growth are merit and creativity.

These two values, decades back, occupied Western Nigeria and some other parts of the Republic, before the introduction of  the so-called ‘Nigerian factor’ by the now-retired dictator and self-styled military president, General Ibrahim Babangida-led Federal Military Government, that pulled the value carpet off under the feet of Nigeria.

For a long period in this country, all you needed to get along were brains/skills, and not who you knew or knew you.

All the above values and more were alluded to in my speech at the birthday celebration/ widows empowerment programme of Mrs. Evelyn Omolara Farounbi, wife of a former Nigerian Ambassador to the Philippines, Dr Yemi Farounbi.

The Farounbis had honoured me to chair the twin-event in Ibadan, Oyo State of Nigeria, on Friday, March 18, 2022.

I opened my speech by expressing gratitude for my selection as the chair of the highly-attended ceremony, particularly by many poor widows, who came to receive the financial support for their businesses by the FIFE NGO of Mrs. Farounbi.

I, thereafter, went down the memory lane of my long association with the husband of our hostess,Ambassador Farounbi, the youngest Chief Executive of Africa’s First Television,the now defunct WESTERN NIGERIA TELEVISION SERVICEv(WNTV),vfounded on Saturday, October 31, 1959, by the Western Nigeria Government, led by the visionary administrator, the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, SAN, GCFR, while he was the Premier of Western Nigeria (1952 – 1959).

WNTV,was not only Nigeria and Africa’s First Television Station, it was home to merit, creativity, news and entainment, where only the best were employed. A year after its start, the radio sister, the Western Nigeria Broadcasting Service, WNBS, Africa’s first commercial radio station, was added.

I told the distinguished audience of how, 50 years ago, I had responded to WNTV-WNBS public advertisement, in the newspapers, for Programme Assistants in 1972.

I received a letter of invitation to proceed for a written test at the WAEC’s         Test, Examination, Development and Research Organisation (TEDRO) in Yaba, Lagos State.

Among the shortlisted candidates with me were former Miss Ronke Dalley (later Mrs. Ayuba) and Mr Bayo Ogunsanya.

We attended another round of written tests and auditioning at WNTV’s office, the TELEVISION HOUSE, Agodi, Ibadan.

When weeks after the Lagos and Ibadan tests and interviews, I received the heart-shattering letter of regrets (“inability to offer you employment this time”), I headed for the TELEVISION HOUSE, in search of the signatory of WNTV-WNBS letter of regrets, Mr. Yemi Farounbi, WNTV-WNBS  Admnistrative Secretary, who directed me to the Director of Programmes, Mr Sam Adegbie (now late)

Mr. (later Chief) Adegbie confessed to me that though I led in the interviews, the station had decided to “employ only two females for now”.

The two ladies were Ronke Dalley and former Miss Sade Odusoga (who didn’t attend the TEDRO exams with us).

My first step into the TELEVISION HOUSE, was in 1962, as a 12-year old member of the Seventh-Day Adventist Primary School, Omo Egbe Aworerin Club.   We had gone to record a programme for our school club on WNBS.

Many years after, I was a regular at WNTV mid-week live recordings of “COME, LET’S DANCE”, compered by the delectable broadcaster-turned-lawyer, the late Autie Toun Adeyemi. May her pretty and kind soul continue to rest in perfect peace. Amen.

In 1970, I won the highest prize (100 guineas) on WNBS quiz programme, ‘ANY QUESTION’, presented by the duo of Dipo Babalola and Remi Sonibare (later Mrs. Hamilton).

In 1978, at last I got employed at the TELEVISION HOUSE, in the ‘one legged’ NTV, as the General Olusegun Obasanjo-led FMG, had tampered with the high-soaring WNTV-WNBS.

Dear Reader, Nigeria, or rather Western Nigeria, once thrived on merit and creativity, among other values, in her gallops of several firsts in the country and Africa. May God replenish the land of talents and equity.Amen.

*Senior Chief ‘Lekan Alabi, the Maye Olubadan (designate) writes from Ibadan, Oyo State capital.