By Constaincia Uruakpa
Veteran broadcaster, Chief Julie Coker has expressed concern over the poor state of broadcasting in Nigeria, as she called for improvement of broadcasting infrastructure in the country. Julie Coker gave this charge during her epic book launch, titled “Nigeria Ereyon: Life in the limelight” held at NTA Conference Hall, Victoria Island, Lagos. The media icon noted that broadcasters and indeed broadcasting need an entire overhaul throughout the country. She also emphasised on training and retraining for media practitioners. She said: “Broadcasters and indeed broadcasting need an entire overhaul throughout the country, with more emphasis on training and retraining. “We all had to go round the country, training people, talking to them about many things.
That’s the beauty about Nigeria Television Authority, NTA. You can go round, you can be posted to Kano or any other part of the country and learn more about your country. It’s a pity what is happening now to the country. “ Speaking on ethics and standard that have fallen in the industry, she urged the National Broadcasting Commission, NBC, to do more in enforcing and monitoring broadcasting ethics. “The National Broadcasting Commission need to do more in enforcement and monitoring of broadcasting ethics, codes and conduct under the broadcasting act”, she said. On the epic book she wrote, she said: “Am grateful to God that I have the opportunity to tell my story, my journey through life, through my family, friends and colleagues.
It is my hope that the upcoming generation will learn one or two lessons from the story I have told in this my autobiography. Please, read the foreword, and that will lead you to other interesting aspects of the book.” Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, who gave the keynote address at the event, via zoom, also called for acquisition of the required skills, as well as training and retraining of broadcasters. She said: “We are not particularly proud of broadcasting today. How do we make the younger ones acquire those skills and training is the challenge. We must see what we can do about these. “A lot of things have fallen in Nigeria, including our noble profession, broadcasting. I know a group is coming to pass a bill in parliament; I don’t know the details, but it’s all about enhancing broadcasting in particular in Nigeria.
“We have to enhance skills and talents, we need to train people who want to go into broadcasting, so we can continue to bring out the very best in the profession. And it’s not about speaking British English or American English; it’s about speaking beautiful English that we are proud of as Nigerians.” The Chairman and media mogul, Oloye Lekan Alabi, Ekefa Olubadan, representative of the Director General, NBC, Prof. Armstrong Idachaba, Chief Mrs. Bola Alo, media mogul, musical Maestro, Dr. Tee Mac Omatshola; Steven kolapo; son to late TOS Benson, former Information Minister in the first Republic, among others, also harped on improvement of broadcasting infrastructure, as well as training and retraining of broadcasters.
