What Olanrewaju Adewusi tells Infoprations about broadcast stations proliferation, the future of indigenous contents in the face of BBC’s local language channels

In the last decade, Nigeria has been witnessing emergency of new broadcast stations, especially radio. How would you describe this? What are the benefits and implications on quality of programming?

Well, it's a good development, especially for an ancient city like Ibadan. First of all, teeming Nigerian graduates have new hopes in the broadcast world. There is a huge employment opportunities in that regard. And for the creative ones, who understand the wherewithal of modern media digitization and effective content development, it's a big yes-yes for them to make use of this competitive platform.

Recently, BBC added Yoruba and Pidgin English to its channels. Do you see this as a threat to indigenous language broadcasting in Nigeria?

As for that, it's a two-way thing. First, it shouldn't be a threat. It should rather be seen as a challenge for the indigenous broadcasting here in Nigeria to do more, and even better. This would make media outfits hold their employees on high esteem. However, on the other hand, if better hands are employed in the BBC, they might outrun the competency of talents/employees in the local media outfits with the fact that the BBC, I believe, has enough digital sophistication to do that.

Do you see Nigerian broadcasting in the next 5 years having all the three major languages as languages of broadcasting in all regions?

I doubt seeing that in the next five years. Maybe not even ten years. The reverence that we give to foreign languages, here in the part of Africa, to our local/indigenous languages, is jaw-drawing. More with the fact that some major languages are doing far better than the other and one that is supposed to be doing better is also dropping. 'Modern parents' have stopped speaking local languages to their children. They call it vernacular. I think the government sensitization agency like National Orientation Agency has more to do on spreading the core values inherent in indigenous languages. I don't know how they can achieve that, but I believe they can work things out to make it work. Also, the educational sector needs to create enticing/rewarding factors in order to lure parents and children into loving and speaking their own 'tongues'. Media should do more, too. They should welcome fantastically artistic contents that encourage embracing one's value.

What have been your experiences and challenges in broadcasting industry, especially indigenous segment?

Well, I think distance audience, indigenous audience appreciate the local contents more than the ones around you. For instance, while I was anchoring a Yorùbá magazine programme on a cable channel back then, I certainly knew that most of our audience are the Yoruba in the northern parts of the country and extensively, Nigerians in the Diaspora especially South Africa and many more. They enjoyed my delivery. I received accolades more from them. I think this is because they miss home. Àjò Ò Lè Dùn Bí Ilé (Home Sweet Home). And I also remember receiving ample of calls from some friends in the United Kingdom and some parts of the Europe. They love Yorùbá. Even when they don't understand some of the sayings and statements, they have this inner, brotherly attachment to their root. They feel at home and proud feeling so. My main challenge in broadcasting industry has been my colleagues’ attitude to young ones.  I'd say the so-called senior colleagues. You know, in Africa or I say Nigeria, when some of us see a thing that challenges their 'prowess', instead of them to strive doing more as a reaction to that, malice and unnecessary dissidence, is what they put against you. Some of them boast of their past glory. They say "you're too young, you know nothing about this job" blah, blah and blah. Bitter envy makes them discard beautiful ideas because they are not coming from them or from their 'candidates'. And that's where the issue of media god-fatherism sets in. Politics in media, you know. That's one of the challenges, too. I think this is found everywhere in Nigeria. Corporate business is an English expression with limits. On a lighter mode, I think it should be Corporate Business Politics.

How can indigenous broadcasting enhance growth and development?

If more creative indigenous contents are encouraged and welcomed, it would bring the audience to their root. That is one beautiful thing I so much love about the Africa's Number one Cinematographer, Mr Tunde Kelani (Uncle T.K, as he is fondly called). He manipulates the lens, which of course, is an aspect of digitization to show to the whole world, the beauty inherent in African cinematography, arts and nature. Let us welcome more indigenous contents, and I am sure that if it trends well, it would attract good followership. And, as awkward as 'local' might sound to us; let's make our contents accessible with sophisticated packaging!

Infoprations’ Notes: Olanrewaju Adewusi is a Yoruba Programme Broadcaster with Thirtytwo FM, a radio station in Ibadan that wants everyone to laugh based on its contents every minute.