5 Ibadan OAPs that left Nigeria at the peak of their careers

By Israel Babalola

Without mincing words, some Radio giants have bowed out of the radio industry in the Country, particularly the Capital city of Oyo State, Ibadan.

One would say, these radio geniuses left while the ovation for them is high in the media industry and the city at large. Thus, to some of us their die hard fans, it was a very wrong and unnecessary move!


Although, the city radio sphere has moved on, but yet the mark of these ones is still on the radio pathway cannot be forgotten so soon in Ibadan, and even Nigeria by extension. 


Check our listed 5 Ibadan On-air-personalities that left Nigeria at the peak of their careers amidst others. This is not an exhaustive list, but these 5 are prominent for us;


FOLAKE OTUYELU

GCON

The household name Otuyelu, well known as ‘GCON’ was a very popular indegneous newscaster and radio presenter on Splash 105.5 FM, Ibadan. Her mastery of the Yoruba language and boldness on radio endears people to the newspaper review programme ‘Tifun-tedo’ and makes it the people’s favourite. Nevertheless, it is still a rude shock for many of her radio fans to learn that she has left the country unannounced and relocated permanently to the United States of America, alongside her entire family. Some few years ago, she granted an interview from her new domain, and explained that she has to flee the country in that manner because of incessant assassination attempt on her life by unknown persons who may have been hurt by her bravery and professionalism on air.  As at the time of filling this report, Otuyelu is living happily with her family, while radio observers hopes for her return on Radio someday very soon.


JACOBS ADEYEMI

Jay Jay
Jay Jay! One would say, ‘gone too soon off radio”, and one can’t stop wondering; Why not stay for few more moments, seeing that he was on top of his game and was steadily cruising and soaring to the top most top. Jacobs was an ace radio presenter, regular anchor of Smooth Home Drive on Splash 105.5 FM, Ibadan. Whenever he is on Radio, you have no choice than to forget all your worries because he is of such a humorous personality on and off radio.  His mastery of the English Language, his humorous interpretation and twist to every story, his contagious laughter among other attributes stand Jacobs out as Not-Your-Regular presenter.


TOPE ALABI

Radio Queen
Better known as Radio Queen, is a multi-talented personality. She was an OAP and a Newscaster per excellence, a singer, writer, event manager and Red carpet host. Radio Queen broke the heart of hundred of thousands of her radio fans when she relocated to the United States. She started her radio career with Gold 91.5 FM while she bowed out of radio with Star 91.5 FM/MITV Ibadan. Some radio observers described her as the heart and soul of Star FM while she was around, she effortlessly made the radio station trend steadily on a weekly basis with her funny, creative and highly entertaining shows. Apart from other radio listeners, she is greatly missed by the Ibadan music industry because she was renowned for using her platform to promote up and coming artistes. 

IFEOLUWA ADENIYI
Ifeoluwa
Ifeoluwa Adeniyi was a very unique and unusual radio presenter whose impact cannot be forgotten in the history of Ibadan Radio. She is known for sound command of English language, literature and her intellectualism. One of the Radio presenters that put the politicians on their toes on “Voices”, along side the well respected ‘Radio Man’ Edmund Obilo. On many occasions she stood in stead of the radio man whenever he is absent on the show and she never failed to impress for once. Ife is a brilliant writer and the author of ‘On the Bank of the River”.  Ifeoluwa left Splash 105.5 FM for Kingston University, Canada in search for knowledge, where she bagged a PhD certificate in Creative Writing. She will be continuously remembered for her deep, insightful and brave analysis of the newspaper every Saturday morning on Voices. She was also the anchor of Winning Women while she was on air. 

REAL BUBBLEMASTER

Olumuyiwa Adekunle, better known as Real Bubblemaster on Radio was a distinct and excitement personified OAP. He was a freelance presenter at Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State (BCOS) until 2005 when he left the country for the United Kingdom. The much loved anchor of the popular show, E ma Bubble, back then left several mouth opened, when we were hit with the news of his departure. His highly entertaining Yoruba show was a show never to be missed, he was a delight to listen to. The former lecturer of The Polytechnic Ibadan is currently in Dublin Ireland still doing his thing on the microphone and entertaining listeners of his radio show on an online platform.  He revealed in an online conversation with some of his former colleagues at BCOS, like Daddy Freeze, Femi Obong-Daniels, Femi Olugbogi, Lyrical Genius among others that his last salary at BCOS before he left in 2005 was 1200 Naira. 

Which of these departures hurt you the most and still hurts till date?

3 Comments

  1. Ifeoluwa Adeniyi and jay jay

    I missed those voices

  2. Ifeoluwa adeniyi
    Jacobs
    Radio queen

  3. Your report is comprehensive. Before I read this report, I thought you wouldn’t remember Bubble master because it’s been a while he left. I was surprised to see his name in the list. Being an ardent radio listener, there is none of them that I don’t know. The way you described each of them is accurate. However, there is another Yoruba presenter that should equally make up this list. His name is Oyekunle Azeez A. K. A. Professor. He also worked with BCOS and the then Radio OYO now known as Olúyọ̀lé FM. He was a radio presenter, TV presenter and an actor. He came up with a Yoruba soap opera then entitled “Ẹniìtàn” and that was where he played the role of a professor. Besides that, he substituted alàgbà Banji Òjó as the anchor of the programme “Só Dáa Bẹ́ẹ̀?” when the former retired. He equally left the Nigerian soil for America at the peak of his career. I think you should hire me

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