On the 15th of March 2012,
Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) Kaduna marked its 50th
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 13th 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 50th 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 50th
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.