Fresh FM’s Faysol Oluwakemi well known as “Dokitomoye” is a Media Content Producer, Yoruba Radio Anchor and TV Host in Ibadan. He’s also a professional in media consultancy as well as a community health advocate.
Can we meet you sir?
Kindly tell us about your growing up and educational background.
My name is Faysol Ajibade Dawud-Oluwakemi but popularly known on air as Faysol Oluwakemi Dokitomoye. I’m a Muslim and an indigene of Ibadan, Baálè Oniwon Compound, Oja’ba, Ibadan South West LGA. October 30th About 3 decades ago, I was born in Kaduna state into the family of Alhaji and Alhaja Dawud Oluwakemi Akewukawe JP.
I finished my primary education at Oloruntosin Nursery and Primary, Ibadan, my Secondary Education at Oyo State School of Science Pade,Ibadan.
Because of my passion for broadcasting, I enrolled for another o level exams so that I can have the opportunity to pursue my goal. Lucky for me I passed. After that I got admission into the University of Ibadan (distance learning) . Unfortunately, when I got to 300 level I had to dropped out due financial constraints. Many of my colleagues felt bad cos I was so popular in school then. I was popularly called “Dr Fad”. I was even one of the class rep in Psychology department then. When I later got the school fee the following semester to proceed my studies, the school portal had problem which affected me to continue my studies. I didn’t allow that to discourage me so I enrolled myself for many professional certifications and online courses in communications, management, journalism to mention few.
In 2016 I had professional certificate in broadcast Journalism from the prestigious National Broadcast Academy, Ikeja Lagos. other certifications from the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI). These include Professional Certificate in Responsible Leadership on Transparency and Good Governance as well as a Professional Certificate in Effective Communication for Healthy Outcomes both in 2017 and Certificate in Strategies for Personal Growth and Development in 2018.
In 2019, I also became Certified in Case Management of Childhood Illness and Healthy Communication for Managers from Global Health e-Learning Centre as well as a Diploma in Journalism from ALISON Study Centre, Ireland and I graduated as one of the best student with my certificates and token gift from the citadel of learning shipped to Nigeria after the program.
I also enrolled at the UNICEF eLearning Centre where I became certified in Communication for Development in 2019. To fulfill my degree program, I enrolled at the National Open University of Nigeria, where I just finished with a Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies.
By God’s grace I’m working towards having my Masters degree at the University of Ibadan soon.
How and when did you get into the radio industry?
My passion for broadcasting and entertainment starts since my primary school days. I remember very well that I’m always part of every activities during our end of session party and so on. So In 2009, I came across my boss, Alhaji Oriyomi Hamzat at a seminar organised by the Muslim Alumni, school of Science Pade. He was the MC at the event. Hearing his name that day I was so overwhelmed cos I do listen to his news on Radio OYO then. I approched him and I told him I’m a young secondary school graduate that have passion for broadcasting. Then I asked can he mentor me? He said no problem and I collected his phone number. I called that night and he gave me an appointment at BCOS, Bashorun Ibadan. When we met we talked and he told me that I can be coming around whenever he has programs and so on. Also he said if truly I wanted to do broadcasting, I need to obtain an o level exams in art subjects. After a year with Alhaji Oriyomi Hamzat, He gave me a task one day and he was so amazed that I could achieve it. That day we were planning for his 10th anniversary as a broadcaster and we wanted to produce a jingle for the event. All my senior colleagues in the crew were not giving him what he wanted in the script, then I stepped into the studio. He called me in and told me to voiced the jingle. It was just two take and the jingle was delivered. He was so surprise and happy because it’s not more than a year that I join his crew. I didn’t remember to tell you that I trained myself to voice jingle with my Nokia 2626 sixty seconds record limit phone. It was after learning and orientation that I got to know that 60 seconds was the limit for jingles.
After that studio ordeal, I got closer more to my boss. The following day the jingle was on radio already and many people were asking him who voiced the jingle. I got kudos from people in that regard. So one day myself and him went to anchor an event. So the style is I start and introduce him as the boss and the main MC. After that event when we were eating, Alhaji Oriyomi told me that ” Faysol, koni pé tí wá fi tètè ga nidi ise yìí, torí wípé gbogbo nkan ti eyan nílò láti ga nìdí ise yìí loni lebun”. It means “You will quickly grow and make it in this profession, because you have the talents and everything it takes. You only need little orientation”. I don’t know what he saw then and why he said that but I believe God just used him to pass the message to me at that moment.
In October 2011, he said I should go and think of any content I can be presenting on his popular Islamic program then on both radio OYO and Amuludun 99.1 FM. I told him the content and I had my first radio presentation on 21st October 2011 on both Radio OYO (AM) and Amuludun FM 99.1. After like a year of the 5 minutes popular segment “Imole Ẹṣin” on that program, it was stopped. In 2013, I got an opportunity to work with Mitv Ibadan as a Yoruba presenter, I informed him (Alhaji Oriyomi Hamzat) about it and he said I should go ahead with it, That was how the whole journey started. Here I am in the industry with more than a decade of fruitful experience.
What’s the brain behind your radio name, “Dokitomoye”?
Dokitomoye (Doki with the wisdom) is an attempt to resonate with a digitally driven audience and spread health and medical information to them. After carving a niche for my self in the broadcast industry, I thought about doing something new in the media space that will be bring more impact to people, so the idea to create a the web series, Doki To Moye comes in, which is focused on discussing health issues with a twist of dramatic and comic injections. The first season ran on YouTube, to positive critical acclaim. Since then it has been my identity “Faysol Oluwakemi Dokitomoye”
Sir, can you tell us the drive behind Get Healthy Africa Initiative NGO?
The journey started in 2013 when I got an offer to work with Mitv Ibadan. Then, the passion to create a positive impact in society started growing, the passion to be identified with a course, and passion to cave a niche for myself in the broadcast industry. I started my health show on the station (Mitv Ibadan) on the 25th of December, 2013 and since then it has been landmark and first of its kind in the broadcast industry.
If you ask me why I’m doing this, why I’ve dedicated 7 years out of my first decade of my broadcasting career and all my resources to this course. I will tell you it’s a calling from God to save lives.
I noticed that The people at the grassroots are at the receiving end of the economic downturn. They do not have enough to feed and take care of themselves, neither do they have enough to take proper care of themselves when they fall sick. This is because the hospital bills are on the rise. this, I envisaged that it was possible for me to champion the elimination and prevention of dreadful diseases among the indigents and less privileged, and the reduce of hospital visitations by them through right information on prevention from those diseases.
My approach to this project which i tagged “Get informed; Get healthy” is by using what I named IEC FORMULA (Information, Education and Communication) through audio-visual means.
The strategy employed is to inform, educate and engage in an effective communication with the targeted audience via radio,TV programs and other social media platforms, public health lectures and medical outreaches.
This project focuses on the grassroots because according to my findings, people in the rural areas, the non-elites, illiterates, downtrodden and so on do not have access to adequate healthcare information which is one of the major threat to global health. With the radio and TV programs dedicated to the project, the public both young and old had gained a lot by getting reliable and credible information from the featured health professional. The strategy also serves as a medium of free consultation with the doctors and healthcare providers through the media programs.
After realising my Health activities is a course on its own, I had to expand my tentacles from TV show, to Radio shows, online podcasts, live shows on social media, health seminars, quarterly and annual health lecture like this, targeting not only Nigeria grassroots but also focusing on the African continent to continue bridging the gap between the populace and the source of genuine health information.
So, Get Healthy Africa Initiative GHAi is the result of the idea I’ve been nurturing since 2014. An idea to have an organization that will be championing health information to the door steps of the common man irrespective of religion, tribe, or personalities.
Though I’ve been doing the above so far through MDV Media and Global Concepts that has been the organiser of my Faysol Oluwakemi Annual Health Lecture (FOHCAF), since 2016 and owner of all my radio and TV contents.
So GHAi is aimed to champion the elimination and prevention of dreadful and deadly diseases among the indigents, downtrodden and less privileged, through disseminating the right information which in turn reduces hospital visitations by the populace.
It was founded to serve as a medium to inform, educate and engage in an effective communication with the targeted audience and African community via radio,TV programs and other social media platforms, public health lectures and medical outreaches.The organisation is also focusing on social mobilization and behavioral communications. Also to facilitate community engagement and Advocacy among the rural on the need to be healthy.
One of it mandate is Partnering with national, state, local and international stakeholders, focusing on common goals for a healthy Africa through adequate health information and community engagement.
It is also Aimed to be a platform to facilitate healthy infrastructure to remote areas and providing relief supports for the less privileged.
Sir, as an impacting young presenter, can you overrule radio out of your achievement in life?
Everything I’ve achieved in my life was through radio. I wonder what my life would have been if I wasn’t a broadcaster.
You recently bowed out of Noble FM for Fresh FM, how do you describe your move…dream fulfilled?
Well, I can describe the move as one of the great miracle of my life because of how it came as I wasn’t expecting it as at the time it happened. Though I so much believed in my ability, capability and professionalism. Still I can describe the move as much anticipated by me and my fans and I see it as a dream come true.
Sir, what do you considered as your greatest achievement in Radio industry?
My greatest achievement in Radio industry is that I’ve successfully positioned myself as the “Indigenous health content Maestro” in Oyo state and South West at large.
What are the challenges so far sir?
I faced many challenges as a presenter while I was growing in this profession. But one thing about me is that I love challenges. Anytime I’m facing any challenges in life, something big is coming. I see my challenges as a step to think critically and grow.
As a strong contender for Primus Media Awards, what are your expectations on this?
I believe to have been nominated in 5 big categories of the awards is a sign that people are watching and taking notes of my strides in the media space. I hope for the best. It’s very easy for God Almighty to win me the five awards. But which ever way I believe I’m going to be one of the best awardee in the prestigious PRIMUS MEDIA AWARDS come December 5.
Advice to your colleagues sir
My advice to my colleagues is that, they should see this profession as a serious business and treat it as such. Professionalism is key. They should see it has watchword. Learning and relearning is germane, so as to remain relevant in the industry. May God Almighty bless our hustles.
NOTE: THIS INTERVIEW IS IN NO WAY THE THOUGHTS OR WORDS OF PRIMUS MEDIA CITY BUT THAT OF THE INTERVIEWEE. THANK YOU!