JIJIWA AND VOICE OF NIGERIA

By Gabriel Omonhinmin
As the saying goes, man proposes God disposes.
I had thought of doing a piece like this, after I would have left the services of Voice of Nigeria, or after the incumbent Director General Mallam Abubakar Jijiwa, would have moved on, assuming higher positions or simply resolving to go home to Fufure in Adamawa State to have a well deserved rest for some time, after an excellent outing in Voice of Nigeria.
But that is not the case now, as I have not yet retired and Mallam Jijiwa is still the Director General of VON.
The desire to do this piece came, during my recent visit to Voice of Nigeria, Lugbe-Abuja Transmitting Station Complex now under construction. I was returning to my base in Lagos from Kaduna where I had gone for the 5th All Nigeiran Editors Conference (ANCE). I decided to spend the few hours I had free in Abuja to visit the place, the amazing work already done at the site, made me change my mind to do this piece.
I was further encouraged by an observation at the Guild of Editors conference, that the media is a critical stakeholder in the realization of Vision 2020, the Seven-point Agenda of President Umaru Yar’Adua’s Administration and the Millennium Development Goals.
One really need to reassure skeptics that Nigeria, in spite of all its short comings, has all it takes to realise the vision 2020 dream.
And to simply say, that Nigeria and the International community would be suprised at the capability of Voice of Nigeria to carry out its mandate when work at the transmiting station complex is completed.
Jijiwa’s deliberate re-branding, re-equipment of studios and general re-orientation of VON staff for the past four years, is a strategy of making voice of Nigeria, more competitive, technologically-challenging and providing an environment where the station would truly become the international radio station of first choice for anyone genuinely interested in Nigeria and Africa.
Exactly six months after Jijiwa was appointed Director General of Voice of Nigeria, he gathered management staff of the organisation, at the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON), in Topo Badagry, Lagos, for a three-day no-hold back brainstorming in a retreat tagged; “VISION 2005 – 2010”.
The retreat was to set an agenda for VON corporate renewal during his first tenure as Director General.
Four years after, and at the close of each year, Jijiwa like all top news executives around the world await a new professional verdict: How good a job did they do, and how much are they rated in the media industry.
The verdict, however, is no longer simply based on the quality of their journalism, that often makes up half or less of the decision criteria. The bonuses of newsroom executives today are largely based on how much money their organisations make in profit.
Voice of Nigeria, as an external broadcast station, profit is not the station’s prime motivation or taget. The station’s mission therefore, is how best to reflect Nigeria and African perspectives in its broadcasts...winning and sustaining the attention, respect and goodwill of listerners worldwide, particularly Nigerians and Africans in the Diaspora...making Nigeria’s voice to be heard more positively in the shaping of our world.
To realise this dream in a modern day Nigeria is tall order. But with a focused leader like Jijiwa this dream is achievable.
But, the dwindling quality of Nigerian journalism in recent times is stark proof of how difficult it is to meet the true standard of journalism. Nigerian journalism these days thrives sadly on news commentary and opinon. We now have a large army of analysts and social commentators informed or not informed.
For Abubakar Bobboyi Jijiwa, Director General of Voice of Nigeria, the only way to gain acceptability, in the very critical international broadcasting arena, is for VON to be professional. He is a student of good journalism. He tells whosoever cares to listen that, good journalism empowers. Good journalism builds. Good journlalism is the only foundation on which the democratic state can flourish, and as such, VON has no other option than to be professionalised.
He has therefore matched his words with action, by creating an atmosphere of freedom of expression and team spirit, which is what is required to harness the creative potentials of all members of staff.
Regular and sustained training and capacity-building both at home and abroad, has resulted in a large number of staff from all departments and catigories being trained. All this may seem unremarkable. Journalism is a business, and the managers have responsibilities in keeping budgets and attracting more listners. Voice of Nigeria does not make any money outside government subvention. For VON to realise its dream and assist more effectively in the re-branding of Nigeria, government subvention need to be much more higher than what it is now.