Journalists in Edo State recently held an endurance road match to commemorate the posthumous birthday of High Raymond Dokpesi, the pioneer of private broadcasting in Nigeria.
The event, themed “Raymond Dokpesi Annual Endurance Trek,” was led by Festus Alenkhe, Chairman of the Edo State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), and Olabisi Akpaida, head of the Benin Network Centre of DAAR Communications, which owns AIT and Raypower.
The trek began at the NUJ State Council Secretariat and traversed key locations, including Ezoti Street, Airport Road, Oba Square (commonly known as Ring Road), and Sapele Road, honoring the legacy of the influential media icon, businessman, and politician.
In 1992, when Nigeria deregulated its broadcast media, DAAR Communications Plc, founded by Dokpesi, was granted approval to operate independent radio and television stations, marking a significant moment in the country’s media landscape.
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After the trek, Akpaida emphasized that the event aims to honor Dokpesi on his birthday and advocate for the Federal Government to officially declare October 25th as a National Day for Private Broadcasting in Nigeria.
She noted that this endurance trek has been held for the past 17 years and will continue until the government recognizes the day. “Our voices have not been loud enough, and that’s why we will keep advocating for this day until it is honored,” she stated, praising Dokpesi as a generous and brilliant figure who broke new ground in the media industry.
Osarose Sadoh, Acting Head of News at AIT, described Dokpesi as a prominent broadcaster and politician who provided a platform for Nigerians to express themselves. Meanwhile, NUJ Chairman Alenkhe echoed the call for the Federal Government to declare October 25th each year as a National Day for Private Broadcasting, underlining the importance of Dokpesi’s contributions to the media sector.
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