In Anyigba, Ankpa ,Idah , Oguma, Dekina, Abocho and other communities of Kogi East in Kogi State, broadcasting signals from our local radio stations can can be received and that is Radio Kogi, Ochaja.
While others Kingdoms are moving upward in progress, Kogi east is moving downward retrogressively, the role of the local media in disseminating information among the villagers can’t be ignore, hence the efforts of late Isah Edime of blessed memory in influencing one Radio station in Ochaja,can’t be ignored, ever since the station that has helped the entire igala/Bassa land in local information dissemination from obituary announcement to local programs and greeting in Igala/Bassa languages has suffered, continue to suffer a serious set back.
A sample of 165 was purposively derived from the population of the market women using the Taro Yamane formula.
It was found that majority (58%) of the market women in Igala/Bassa land listened to radio programmes often.
Their exposure to radio messages was high and their preferred radio station was Radio Kogi Ochaja, because it transmits mainly in the local dialects and provides them information, education and entertainment.
Today, The Radio is down because Kogi state government can’t afford the three millions Naira 30 kva maikano diesel generator for the whole kingdom , perhaps, Kingsley Olorunfemi Fanwo – Commissioner for Information is less concern on how important is Radio Kogi Ochaja to the people of Kogi East, or probably he is afraid and can’t make case for Radio Kogi Ochaja before the white lion who is less interested in whatever is being considered as a service to the people.
Assuming the the commissioner is less concern, what about the Deputy Governor who is also from kogi East? Is he also afraid of making case for the only information station/organ we have in Kogi East where he hails from ?
The office of the Deputy Governor can do this for his people, since Government is all about service to the People.
As part of constituency development projects any of these people can come to the aid of Radio kogi Ochaja :
Senator Jibrin Isha Echocho
Rt Hon. Hassan Baiwa
Rt Hon. Abdullahi Halims
Rt Hon. David Zacharia
Kogi East cannot afford to operate in stone age in this 21st century and as a matter of urgency, this narrative has to change most especially that Kogi State Government is now funding Tao FM, a private Station located in Kogi Central, specifically Okene.
As I write, the station has no operational vehicle but the one call Tao FM funded by Kogi state government has more than enough and is almost running 24hours service which State owned Radio, FM 94:1 located at Lokoja cannot even afford because all proposals written to revive the station have been turned down by Kogi State government under Governor Yahaya Bello.
In a nutshell, Governor Yahaya Bello must shun politics of bitterness and divisiveness and revive Ochaja Radio as soon as possible.
