By Israel Babalola
According to history, Ibadan is the first city to air a broadcast in Nigeria.
The ancient city of Ibadan is blessed with veteran broadcasters whose names would never be forgotten in the Broadcasting industry.
Ibadan is endowed with indigenous and aged radio / TV presenters, (English and Yoruba) whose voices on air are still very relevant, as they continuously enlarge the audience of the various platforms they belong to.
Ibadan is like the home of broadcast in Nigeria, where other radio stations from other cities and states draw their OAPs to achieve their essence of establishment.
Primus Media City is again bringing to you 9 veterans in Ibadan who have spent over 30 years in the broadcasting industry and are still very much active in the industry.
ALHAJI ABOLADE SALAMI
The current Head of Programmes of Fresh 105.9 FM has been a broadcaster since 1978 after his secondary school days, and has had the opportunity to work with the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State (BCOS) through the help of Ezekiel Abidoye Akinwumi, whom he described as his elder brother. Salami started his journey as a Studio Manager before he voluntarily left FRCN to join the first private radio station in Oyo State, Splash FM as a pioneer staff member.
ALHAJI ADEGBOYEGA LAWAL
The Ace radio presenter and the regular host of “O n dun yungba” on Lagelu 96.7 fm started his broadcasting career as a freelance Yoruba presenter in the year 1978 at the then Western Nigeria Television (WNTV), now Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Ibadan. The Bashorun Adini of Ikolaba, Ibadan, who is also a Patron of Hair Dressers’ Association of Nigeria, Past Governor of FIBAN, Oyo state Chapter, and National Liason officer of TAMPAN, is currently, a freelance radio presenter working at Oluyole 98.5 FM and Lagelu 96.7FM.
YEMI SONDE
Yemi Sonde fondly called “Jigan” is one of the brilliant broadcasters who has given broadcasting a new shape which many broadcasters are emulating now. He started in 1989 at the age of 29 at the Ogun State Broadcasting Corporation (OGBC). He was trained under the late ace broadcaster Toba Opaleye. He is the regular host of a popular magazine programme on Splash 105.5 FM called “YS Live”. He was the presenter of “Miliki Express” on BCOS for 22 years. He once handled ‘Ema Bubble’ on BCOS. Certainly, Sonde is a well known voice in the Western part of Nigeria, he has anchored shows in many Yoruba states. He owns a media house called “Yemi Sonde Media House” and runs an internet based radio, Yemi Sonde Media Academy Radio (YES-MA Radio).
CHIEF DHIKIRULLAHI AKOLAWOLE OLOOTU
The veteran Yoruba broadcaster is one of the trending old presenters doing very well in the modern day radio industry. Olootu is indeed one of the Iconic Ibadan personalities with a rich knowledge of the Yoruba Language and culture. Chief Kola Olootu started his professional broadcasting career as a freelancer in 1985, from the Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State (BCOS) Ile-Akede, Orita-Bashorun, Ibadan. Today he is the Baasooro of Yorubaland, a title given to him in appreciation of his milestone contributions to the Radio Broadcasting industry in Yoruba land. He presents “Oselenkejo” and “Ale Ere be” a popular programme on Lagelu FM on Wednesdays and Sundays respectively.
ALHAJI OLALOMI AMOLE
Alhaji Olalomi Amole, popularly called “Aare Mekunu” is a seasoned and humorous Yoruba Presenter. He started out in the 1970s by participating in a radio drama titled “Laugh and Learn” on the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria(FRCN), otherwise known as Radio Nigeria.
Currently, Olalomi, whose career has spanned over 40 years, co-hosts ‘OyinAdo’ and ‘Gbarada’, alongside his Radio Partner, Akomolafe Olaiya on Fresh 105.9 FM, Ibadan.
OTUNBA AKOLAWOLE LADOKE
Akolawole Ladoke is a veteran Yoruba newscaster/presenter in the city of Ibadan. He is fondly called “Kola ooo” which has come to become a household name as a result of the popular Yoruba news review “Tifun-Tedo” on Splash 105.5 FM. Currently, he’s the Head of Programmes of Lagelu 96.7 FM, the twin sister of Splash FM. His pronunciation and enunciation of Yoruba Language makes him the people’s radio presenter.
BAALE YEMI OGUNYEMI
Yemi Ogunyemi, an impeccable radio / TV presenter was on WNTV/WNBS and featured in children’s programmes before he started freelancing, first with the Federal Radio Corporation of Nige hiria, and then, Nigerian Television Authority. He was a pioneer freelance staff when the first NTV Theatre was established in 1977 before he became a full staff in 1979. Ogunyemi started presenting ‘En Balaya’ which brought him fame in 1979 after Funmilola Olorunnisola, currently spokesman to the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, left the show.
LERE SHITTU
“Mido Mido” as he’s fondly called, is the “Dokita Ife” of the popular programme on BCOS. He’s a veteran with over 30 years experience in the industry who started his broadcasting career at the Federal Radio Corporation, Ibadan before he joined the Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State (BCOS) Ibadan, where he rose to the position of Assistant Director of Programmes. He is presently the GM of Pensioners FM, 106.7.
ADEYANJU ADEGBITE
Uncle Yanju, as he loves to be addressed, was the first On-Air Personality on Radio O-Y-O 2 FM stereo (1972), first On-Air Personality on the Television service of Oyo State (TSOS) – 1982. He worked as a broadcaster with the Radio Nigeria between 1973 and 1976 before he joined BCOS in 1976. Mr. Yanju Adegbite with the sobriquet, the Music Merchant, has contributed immensely into the broadcast industry as a Studio Manager, Presenter, Newscaster, Disc. Jockey (D.J) and Master of Ceremonies (MC) with the touch of excellence. He was the Special Adviser to His Excellency, the Governor of Oyo State on Broadcasting and the Chief Executive Officer of the Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State (BCOS) from 2011 to 2015. Currently, he works at Fresh 105.9 FM, and he is also the Special Adviser / Project Director, Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State (BCOS).