RADIO NIGERIA KADUNA @ 50 AND THE CHALLENGES OF THE NORTH

On the 15^th of March 2012, Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) Kaduna marked its 50^th year of existence. A grand and befitting ceremony was organized for a week to mark the anniversary of the station, which was well attended by many distinguished Nigerians from all parts of the country, who added colour and glamour to the august occasion.

The station now popularly known as Radio Nigeria Kaduna was established on the 13^th of March 1962 as the Broadcasting Corporation of Northern Nigeria (BCNN) by the late Premier of the defunct Northern Regional Government, Sir Ahmadu Bello Sardaunan Sokoto. The name of the station was later changed to Radio Television Kaduna (RTK) and in 1973 it became Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) Kaduna, when the Television arm was taken over by the federal government as part of Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) and the radio arm was incorporated into the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) under a central-body at the national level. It is now one of the six FRCN network stations spread across the six geo-political zones of the country.

Even though Radio Nigeria Kaduna was preceded by a few broadcasting stations in the north, that were established in the mid 1940s as relay stations, Radio Nigeria Kaduna gave birth to a more serious and sustainable broadcasting service in the region. By 1965, when the 25 kilowatts transmitter was supplemented with 200 kilowatts shortwave transmitter, Radio Nigeria Kaduna became the most powerful in the country. The station is still considered as the major Hausa radio broadcast station in the world with millions of listeners across the West-African sub-region.

The birth of Radio Nigeria Kaduna came at a critical time when the Northern region attained self rule and many of the people in the north were ignorant about what that meant. The station came at a time when the Northern region was the least known part of Nigeria to the outside world. It also came at a time when northerners needed to forget about their ethnic, tribal and religious plurality and unite under one umbrella and live in peace and harmony with one another for the rapid development of the region.

It was the full understanding of these challenges facing the region, that Sardauna deemed it necessary to establish a powerful radio station that will publicize policies and programmes of the government, promote peaceful and harmonious co-existence among all the northerners despite religious or ethnic affiliation, enlighten and educate the populace, and ultimately protect and defend the north and its interests.

Over the years, and even after its transformation to FRCN Kaduna under the control of the federal government, Radio Nigeria Kaduna strove to maintain the philosophies behind its establishment. It also played a monumental role in nation building and uniting the people of the region and the country as a whole. One significant contribution of the station was the sense of responsibility and professionalism it displayed during the most trying time of this country in the aftermath of 1966 Civil War.

The role of Radio Nigeria Kaduna in nation building is second to none. The popular attributes of radio as “a public rally of the millions” and “a companion in daily lives” can best be seen in the manifestation of Radio Nigeria Kaduna in the lives of millions of Nigerians, especially northerners. The station can be said to be the reason behind the high patronage of radio broadcasts by the Hausa-Fulani folks. It can also be conveniently argued that the station is responsible for making radio the major source of information among Hausa speaking people. The Station also rightfully deserves the credit of churning-out much of the finest journalists and broadcasters Nigeria has ever produced.

However, it is rather unfortunate that Radio Nigeria Kaduna is among the few pillars for the development of the north established by the late Premier, which are still struggling to maintain their grip and sustain the legacies envisaged by the founding fathers. Most of the establishments of Sardauna that used to be source of pride to the north like the Textile and Cottage Industries, NNDC, Ahmadu Bello University, the New Nigeria Newspapers among many others have over the years been left to die or are at the verge of collapse. It is highly regrettable that the northern region, which forty to fifty years ago used to be the envy of all other regions in the country, has been woefully neglected by its leaders.

It is very disheartening that Northern region that used to boast of having the most powerful radio station, the most influential newspaper, the most prestigious university, the most formidable political structure, the most viable economic base in the country, in short the region that used to lead the way for others to follow now has turned out to be the most backward and underdeveloped in all spheres of national life. The north has become a parasite where insecurity, begging and unemployment abound.

Radio Nigeria Kaduna, which celebrates its 50^th anniversary as one of the pillars established by Sardauna of Sokoto, could be said to be fortunate enough that it was taken over by the federal government, otherwise it would have been dead by now like the other institutions that remained under the control of the region.

The occasion to celebrate 50^th anniversary of the station, which is considered as the mouth piece of the north, should be a time for sober reflection on the series of predicaments of the region today. It should serve as a wake-up call for all the political, traditional and religious leaders in the region and indeed all northerners irrespective of religious or tribal difference to rise up to the challenge and revive the basic aim of establishing the Radio Nigeria Kaduna, which is to protect and preserve the cultural, political, economic and social identities and pride of the north.

This is the time for all northerners to reclaim their lost glory and forge a better future for the region, amidst the rising uncertainty in the future of the nation’s federalism. Northerners should put their sinister and trivial interests behind, unite and set the region on a sustainable path for rapid socio, economic and political development. It is rather hypocritical to celebrate institutions that our actions over the years have defied the basic idea and philosophy behind their establishment.

50 years ago there was only Radio Nigeria Kaduna and a handful of other relay stations in the region. But today, there are over 50 radio stations spread across the region. The Radio Nigeria Kaduna should be seen to be leading the way in the area of broadcasting by exhibiting high sense of responsibility and professionalism in broadcast media content that will properly reposition and propel the northern region on the path towards rapid development.