IN continuation of the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the advent of television in Africa, the Foundation for Ibadan Television Anniversary Celebration (FITAC) will on Thursday, October 31, launch two books, ‘Heritage of Excellence: Reminiscences of Men’ and ‘Women Behind the Bright Lights of Africa’s First Television’.
Speaking during a press chat on the activities marking the celebrations, the co-convener of FITAC and chairman of the Gala Nite celebration committee, Oloye Lekan Alabi, said there would also be the launching of the WNTV Training Institute, where future television professionals will be trained.
Oloye Alabi, while going down memory lane, said Western Nigeria Television (WNTV) was commissioned on October 31, 1959 by the premier of the Western Region, Chief Obafemi Awolowo.
FITAC had already held a colloquium where issues of the past, present and future of television were discussed by renowned scholars. However, the forthcoming event, which is the grand finale, will be held at the New International Conference Centre of the University of Ibadan.
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Speakning on how FITAC came to be, Oloye Alabi said Chief Ayo Fashoro, who is based in the United States of America, got the idea about the whole project and contacted the station’s former general manager, Ambassador Yemi Farounbi.
“Ambassador Farounbi later contacted me on the project; so we can regard Chief Fashoro as the initiator of the celebration, while Ambassador Farounbi is the chief convener, and my humble self as the co-convener.
“The three of us then met in Ibadan early this year and invited interested former staff of WNTV/WNTS and they all bought into the idea.
“So we started the programme on Monday, October 14 with a photo exhibition at Television House at Agodi. It’s been running for two weeks now and it is open to members of the public. People can see the first set of the board of directors, managers, staff and those who were not staff but were connected to WNTV, as well as the first female chairperson, Chief Folake Solanke.
“During the colloquium, scholars discussed ‘Television in Africa: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow. So the grand finale will come up on October 31. Awards will also be given to distinguished veterans in the industry, as well as some stakeholders like King Sunny Ade, Ebenezer Obey, while the families of Duro Ladipo, Hubert Ogunde, Haruna Ishola, Yusuf Olatunji and some others will receive the awards on behalf of their patriarchs.
“We must, however, commend our founding fathers like Chief Awolowo, Chief Anthony Enahoro, who was the minister of information in the region then, among others, for their vision, their intellect and degree of patriotism.
“The station was commissioned two months ahead of schedule, as that was the practice in those days, and I hope our current crop of leaders will take a cue from our past leaders,” Oloye Alabi said.