It's a known fact that every home in lagos then were addicted to the radio compared to present. I couldn't stop reading as you took me down to memory lane through the modern day of broadcasting with Ray power fm 100.5. I fell in love with Dennis the menace ogi, late Steve kadiri etc. But the list wouldn't be complete and unfair without the inclusion of keke and d1 who are the pioneer, arrow head of the present day music industry through effective media Proficiency. Every Friday's i made it a duty to listen to their countdown on radio, and later at night with ait jams. Rhythm fm later stole the show as I became over addicted listening to the station for close to 24hours daily. JAJ programme by 7pm is one thing I can't do without to make my day complete. I recall I have to buy this red radio with Big Torchlight to quench my appetite for this purpose.
Factly speaking, the reason for the loss of interest listening to radio stations is because there's no more professionalism on the part of the OAP. Unlike when we were growing up where most presenters are known to speak the Queen's English in the Nigerian way. But nowadays, presenters that has not even left the shore of this country would be forming American accent without a message to convey to listeners.
Wow! Wow! Wow!
You really found it... I'm a lover of jazz some sort and I vividly this sound track played on willy's" show back then.. Thanks a lot for this.
Ok. Tankz so much.
But what about if i go there and tell dem i want to volunteer and work for dem for free so as to be taken later or accepted as full staff after some time. Will dis tactic work?
I am an old school and classic FM up until now is my favourite naija station but the list won't complete without mentioning late Charles Bruce Chukuma, also known as CHAZ B. I could not stop listening to his program until his death " sharing life issues with Chaz B".
The guy touched many lives.
Also my able stubborn friend, Diplomatic OPJ of wazobia fm. The guy for don finish tinubu if he has not been sacked by now...
Good old memories. Thank you naptu
This was used as the theme song for the children's show on RN2 in the 1980s. I can no longer the name of the show or who hosted it.
naptu2:
Well, there was a Nigerian in the band, in fact two (but they were not there at the same time), so I suppose you could say that it was kind of like a Nigerian band.
naptu2:
It's because of this song (on Classic FM at the moment) that I once thought that Osibisa was a Nigerian band.
"Hello little children, happy little children, how are you this morning"
naptu2:
This was played so often on RN2, that it became a part of the station. I think that the instrumental version was the signature tune of a show on the station. There was a time when I thought that it was an exclusively Nigerian song.
Osibisa - Happy Children (1973).
naptu2:
This was the theme song for a lot of children's programmes on Nigerian TV and radio back in the day.
(Now I'm tempted to post one of Santana's songs, even though he is not African. That song was the other song that was often used as a theme song for children's shows on Nigerian TV and radio).
Rhythm 93.7, with their jingles like... Rhythm 93.7, the only station that get you started in the morning, keeps you going in the afternoon, keeps you going in the afternoon and stays with you all night..chai.. rhythm was the bomb then with their makosa jamz every Saturday evening.. omo those days really make sense . Not now that radio station don full airwaves that you can barely listen to a particular station for an hour before you keep changing and still not find anything that will insterest you.
They say Radio is the theater of the mind . I got to start listening more to the radio while I was in secondary . After we are done with the family radio, I will turn on my battery powered radio and listen all through the night. I was warned several times of the dame the earpiece could do to the ear if I sleep with it, I couldn't listen because of the love I had for radio
@naptu2. You didn't mention shows like Cruise control , Metro Fm, hosted by Frank Edoho afterwhich Kamala took over.. it starts airing by 7 to 9. The music people always request for is so so soothing . Even the show's theme song, Sunset Island by Earl Klugh is one I still listen to many times to ease off.
Metro fm also has Doris Okafor that anchors the show, Rock City. I will like to see what Doris looks likes frankly , she was lovely with what she does .
I think it is Metro Fm that has this program called Straight from the heart .I will so so love to have this show back on air. It is a show where heart touching stori3s are read and backed up with music that pertains to whatever keywords that were being read at that time. It airs at night .
Straight from the heart is on ray power Saturdays 11;30am. I my dad and I use to listen to it.
Afodot0022:
Rhythm 93.7, with their jingles like... Rhythm 93.7, the only station that get you started in the morning, keeps you going in the afternoon, keeps you going in the afternoon and stays with you all night..chai.. rhythm was the bomb then with their makosa jamz every Saturday evening.. omo those days really make sense . Not now that radio station don full airwaves that you can barely listen to a particular station for an hour before you keep changing and still not find anything that will insterest you.
My favorite radio show then was KUBANJI DIRECT on radio continental now Max fm, the presenters were Momoh Kubanji, Jones Hussen aka Citizens Jones and a host of others… its an hour show that specializes on current affairs and callers were allowed to call in and share der thoughts… i miss the good old radio days👌
Silentgroper:
Ambrose olutayo shomide now works with faaji FM .. An extract of raypower...
Well, gen z's like me don't know half of the radio stations mentioned ...
The only ones that rings a bell to me is metro FM, cool FM and my former favourite raypower FM ...
but right now, none can take me away from city FM ...
the likes of kshowkshow the maestro , vien007, supper prince, kemi smalls and sensei uche got me hooked to the station, now they've moved on from city FM but I haven't been swayed by any other channel is why my fav is still city FM..
my 2nd fav should be maybe beat f.m ...
God. I miss Lagos...
Ibadan's radio stations is so fvcking boring...
You are even enjoying in Ibadan. Come to Osun State especially Ile Ife and get the definition of boredom.
I am consistently on internet radio catching up with Nigeria Info.
As I was still small then, let me hail those OAPs I sabi.
Gbenga Adeboye - Radio Lagos
Abbey Fagboro - Radio Lagos
Diplomatic OPJ - Wazobia FM
Auntlanda - Inspiration FM
Honeypot - Radio Continental
Daniel Akpata - Radio Continental
Joyce - Cool FM
Fatai Danwahab - Faaji FM
Dayo Amusan - Faaji FM
First there were many MW stations, none of which was able to really capture my attention. We had Radio Lagos, RCOS, B.C.O.S/Radio O.Y.O, Ogun Radio/OGBC and of course the king of them all Radio Nigeria 1 (1089). Radio Nigeria 1 was the first place to go to for the 7am news and whenever there was a coup.
RN2
Then came the glorious Radio Nigeria 2 (RN2). RN2 played great music and they had superstar presenters. It was the first FM station in Lagos. I paticularly enjoyed listening to the station in the afternoons and at weekends. RN 1 catered to the older folks, while RN2 was the new exciting station for the younger folks (these roles were replicated on tv, with NTA Ch 10 being for the older folks and NTA 2 Ch 5 for the younger folks).
RN 2 had superstars like
(Your Willing Willy) Willy Egbe
Sunny Irabor
(JAJ) Joseph Akinyemi Johnson
Ohi Alegbe
Jones Usen
Ihria Enakhimo (one of the funniest human beings on tv and radio)
(Bonny with the face) Boniface Onogwu
Godwin Asuquo
Momoh Kubanje
Tony Ibegbuna (he was the voice of the station when it started. It seemed like he did all their jingles).
And many more. There were shows like Willy Brunch, Sunny Side Up, Martin Street Special (before the Martin Street studios burnt down), Police Diary, I Beg Una, etc.
Radio Nigeria One later caught my attention with a beautiful breakfast show called Radioscope. In the years that I was hooked on that show (1988-1993) it was hosted at various times by Zachary Mohammed (Captain ZM), Manny Onumonu and Evelyn Russel.
Radio Nigeria Three was set up in 1989 (it was the first community radio station in Nigeria and broadcast in pidgin, igbo yoruba and hausa) and I often listened to them in the evenings.
RN2 is now known as Metro FM, RN3 is now known as Country Radio and RN1 moved from MW to FM and is now known as Radio One.
OGBC 2
Then came the Ogun State Broadcasting Corporation's second station (OGBC2), the second FM station that could be received in Lagos. It blew RN2 out of the water. It was lightyears ahead of its elder sister OGBC (which transmitted on the MW band). It had great presenters like
Ladi Akeredolu-Ale
Larry Ichiejile
Olusesan Ekisola
Aderinsola Aladeselu
Peter Okodua
Busayo Olaifa
Toyin Shogbesan.
Ambrose Shomide
Toba Opaleye
Its breakfast show, which included Headliners (newspaper review) and Bournvita Sports Special with Larry Ichiejile/Izamuje was second to none. It rode on the wave of the golden age of hip hop by playing all the latest hip hop tracks that people wanted to hear.
It was one of the key sources of information during the June 12 movement. People got anti-government news from OGBC2, The Punch, The Concord, etc; pro-government news from the NTA, Radio Nigeria, Daily Times and New Nigerian and impartial news from The Guardian and The BBC. Then the government shut down OGBC temporarily.
Raypower
The very first private radio station actually began broadcasting without permission from government. The station debuted sometime in the middle of the year (broadcasting on 100MHz), then they were ordered to shut down by the NBC, then they legally started transmission towards the end of the year on 100.5MHz.
It virtually wiped out OGBC and RN2 from the airwaves. They were broadcasting from Alagbado, but they had a relay station on Bookshop House in Marina, thus their signal was clearer across Lagos than OGBC and RN2's signals. They poached a lot of talent from OGBC and Radio Nigeria. People like Ambrose Shomide and Momoh Kubanje ed the station. They had presenters like
Olusesan Ekisola (the first General Manager of Raypower, he was poached from OGBC).
Steve "The Sleek" Kadiri.
Dennis Tha Menace Ogi
Ogee Onazi.
Sule "Solazo" Ellams
Becky Ellams
Lola "L Boogie" Mogaji
Ibiyemi Olufowobi
Busola Faiga
Doe Abrahams
Tony Akiotu
Jumobi Adegbesan
They had Milo World Of Sports (which attempted to compete against Larry's Bournvita Sports Special on OGBC), Newspaper Headline Review, Jukebox (with Olusesan Ekishola), Rock Radio (with Dennis Da Menace Ogi), Doe Abraham's calypso show, etc. They also collaborated with The BBC and broadcast Sports Round Up, Sports World, News Hour, etc. It ruled the airwaves for much of the Abacha/June 12 crisis era and people depended on their news for information about what was going on.
Rhythm
And the Murray-Bruces finally floated a radio station. Their selling point was "More music, less talk" and they won people over by playing mainstream music that people liked (hip hop, R&B and soul). Rhythm has endured and has remained one of my top two favourite stations since 1997. They've had presenters like
Femi Sowoolu (formerly of OGBC)
JAJ (formerly of RN2).
Eldee The Don.
Steve (the South African)
Naphtali Tope Brown (Brown Sugar)
Nnamdi Anazia
Kemistry
And more recently
(The Wildchild) I.K Osakiodua
Phoenix
(Big Time) Onome Oyaide
At breakfast time I would often switch between the sports, newspaper review and news programmes on OGBC2, Raypower and Rhythm, before OGBC2's quality and signal strength depreciated.
Cool FM
Between 1998-2010 Cool FM had undoubtedly the best collection of nigerian on air personalities in one radio station that I have ever heard. The only radio station that has had anything like that (and they are a distant second) is Radio Nigeria 2 (in the early 1980s).
They had amazing presenters like
1) Lakeside (Lekan Saheed). He was definitely my favourite. The guy was INSANE!
2) Iyke The G (nobody else plays the kind of music that he plays. It's almost like he reads my mind).
3) Dan Foster (the Big Dawg. He has an unusual ability to connect with his listeners).
4) Kemi Adetiba (amazing impersonations).
5) Gbemi Olateru-Olagbegi
6) Olisa Adibua (yes, the same guy that hosted "Top Of The Pops" on NTA2 Channel 5 c1988-1992)
7) Dare Art-Alade
8 ) Tosyn Bucknor (she also co-hosted the crazy Fanta show with Lakeside).
9) Mark Silvere (an american that first presented the Good Morning Nigeria Show. He also had the ability to connect with his listeners [he often prayed for them on air]. Made a good team with Dan Foster).
10) Keith Lane. The very first voice I heard on Cool FM (on the day they started transmitting). This guy is the definition of insane! He introduced "Radio Grafitti" to Cool FM and it hasn't been the same without him (no one has his level of insanity). His first stint at Cool FM ended when he complained about a decision that management were about to make and invited listeners to call in and talk about it. He was brought back several years later, after Dan Foster left the station, but listeners hated him because they kept comparing him to Dan (Dan is nice and friendly, while Keith is irreverent and insane).
11) Charles Supo Orija (the king of news).
They also ran the Bournvite Sports Special with Larry Izamuje for a while (at first it was networked with OGBC2, then it was exclusively on Cool FM) and also had Sports Express with the Sportsvision crew.
Now I just shuffle between Rhythm, NigeriaInfo and Classic FM. No radio station is particularly dominant or strong enough to get my attention exclusively. Raypower lost the right to use their relay station, so their signal isn't particulalrly strong and they also lost a lot of their best presenters. The 2010 tsunami also saw Cool FM losing their best presenters and I don't listen to them anymore. OGBC2 and RN2 (now known as Metro FM) are shadows of their former selves.
Picture 1: Sunny Irabor
Picture 2: Joseph Akinyemi Johnson (JAJ)
Picture 3: Jumobi Adegbesan and Dennis Da Menace Ogi
Picture 4: Dan Foster
the Joseph akinyomi Jonson is d youngest old man. He never ages Mani onumonu moved to d usa
I had started reading this piece and enjoying it when it occurred to me to check the OP. Before I checked, I said to myself this looks like something naptu2 would do and l wasn't disappointed. Thumbs up man. I always enjoy you taking us back so kids like "us" can learn.
placeofallure:
I had started reading this piece and enjoying it when it occurred to me to check the OP. Before I checked, I said to myself this looks like something naptu2 would do and l wasn't disappointed. Thumbs up man. I always enjoy you taking us back so kids like "us" can learn.
priceactionx:
I am an old school and classic FM up until now is my favourite naija station but the list won't complete without mentioning late Charles Bruce Chukuma, also known as CHAZ B. I could not stop listening to his program until his death " sharing life" issues with Chaz B".
The guy touched many lives.
Also my able stubborn friend, Diplomatic OPJ of wazobia fm. The guy for don finish tinubu if he has not been sacked by now...
Good old memories. Thank you naptu
I tell you! That Diplomatic OPJ was very controversial in his ways. I like him so just that he became very proud which led to his downfall.
Ibiyinka90:
Any list without Gbenga Adeboye(Alabefe Funwontan, Jengbetiele, Itu baba ita oko Rafa to na Cotonou) is a counterfeit. He was the most complete radio presenter in Nigeria then. And no one come close to him
Gbenga Adeboye is one man I badly wish is still alive. I'm used to him so much.
A legend and more
