The Kogi State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Hon. Kingsley Femi Fanwo, has pledged to sustain the growth and transformation of the Kogi State Broadcasting Corporation (KSBC), describing the institution as a critical part of the history, identity and development of the state.
Fanwo made the commitment while speaking at the 35th anniversary celebration of the Corporation, themed, “The Voice of the Confluence: 35 Years of Impact.”
The commissioner said the anniversary was particularly significant to him because his late mother, Mrs Titilayo Aliu, worked for the Corporation and died while still in active service.
According to him, his responsibility of supervising the same institution to which his mother dedicated her active years was one he would not take lightly.
“Every time I walk through the doors of this Corporation, I am reminded of her sacrifice and the legacy she left behind,” he said.
Fanwo assured that he would work with the management and staff to preserve the values that built the Corporation while supporting innovations capable of positioning it for the future.
He commended the Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, for prioritising the development of broadcasting in the state, noting that broadcasting was about more than transmitters, studios, microphones and cameras.
The commissioner said broadcasting remained a vital means of connecting government with citizens, educating communities, promoting development and providing information needed by citizens to make informed decisions.
He disclosed that the state government had improved the Corporation’s transmitters and was also addressing its perennial power challenges.
Fanwo said the interventions were important because a broadcasting organisation could not effectively discharge its mandate without functional infrastructure and reliable power supply.
Also speaking, the chairman of the anniversary event and retired Zonal Director of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), Alhaji Mohammed Bello, congratulated KSBC for sustaining broadcasting operations for 35 years despite changes in government, infrastructure challenges and the transition from analogue to digital broadcasting.
Bello said KSBC had remained relevant in informing, educating and entertaining the people, adding that the Corporation had also served as a cost-effective channel through which government communicated with citizens and received feedback.
He urged KSBC to move beyond traditional broadcasting and fully embrace new media platforms, noting that the audience was changing rapidly, particularly among younger Nigerians.
According to him, the Corporation should conduct regular audience surveys, adapt its content to emerging platforms and maintain professional standards in line with the ethics of broadcasting.
Bello also appealed to the state government to establish a television station, arguing that Kogi had enormous economic, industrial, cultural and developmental stories that deserved wider visibility.
He noted that the state’s strategic location, international airport project, Ajaokuta Steel Complex, cement industries, solid mineral deposits, river dredging activities and tertiary institutions provided sufficient content for a television station.
Earlier, the Director-General of KSBC, Princess Nana Hauwa Yussuf, traced the history of broadcasting in the state to the period before the creation of Kogi State, when booster stations at Egbe, Otite and Agbadigba in Anyigba relayed signals from neighbouring states.
She said Radio Kogi had, over the past 35 years, provided news, music, cultural, educational and entertainment programmes to the people of Kogi State and beyond.
Yussuf said the Corporation currently operated three booster stations in Anyigba, Egbe and Okene-Eba, enabling it to reach communities across the three senatorial districts.
She expressed appreciation to Governor Ododo for interventions including the provision of a transformer, installation of solar power systems, approval for a permanent structure at the Okene-Eba booster station and the approval to renovate and rebrand the Corporation’s broadcast building.
The DG also commended Fanwo for his leadership, guidance and support, as well as successive commissioners, general managers, directors-general, veteran broadcasters, engineers and other staff who contributed to the development of KSBC.
As part of the anniversary, the Corporation presented meritorious awards to personalities who had rendered distinguished and selfless service to Radio Kogi.
The late first Executive Governor of Kogi State, Prince Abubakar Audu, was particularly honoured posthumously for his role in the establishment of the Corporation.
Yussuf also appreciated the Father of the Occasion, Alhaji Umar Shuaibu Oricha, Director-General, Government House Administration, royal fathers, the Speaker of the Kogi State House of Assembly, commissioners, special advisers, staff, friends of Radio Kogi and other guests for their support and presence at the anniversary.
The celebration marked 35 years of uninterrupted broadcasting by KSBC and provided an opportunity for stakeholders to reflect on the Corporation’s contribution to public information, education, culture and development in Kogi State.