Media and Religion: A Study of three Cases in Northern Nigeria

A COMMISSIONED PAPER SUBMITTED TO PANOS INSTITUTE OF WEST AFRICA DAKAR, SENEGAL, JUNE 2008, AS PART OF THE STUDY OF MEDIA AND RELIGION IN WEST AFRICA

INTRODUCTION

Broadcasting is one of the most significant social forces that has contributed immensely in the growth and development of modern Nigeria. From the year of independence in 1960 to date, the broadcast industry has expanded in tandem with the country’s changing fortunes over the years.

With a population of about 140 million people and a growth rate of 3.2 % per annum, Nigeria undoubtedly has one of the fastest growing populations in the world. The implication of this growth is that the country’s resources appear to have fallen short of the citizens’ needs and expectations. Little wonder that the poverty index is high with about 70 per cent of the population said to be living on less than One US Dollar per day. The life expectancy rate of the citizens as at 2007 was below 50 years. Equally, about 47 % of the labour force remains unemployed because “they lack access to critical resources, education, capital, labour, entrepreneurial skills and more importantly, lack of control over the use of their valuable time (FMoWCD, 2006). Women constitute the predominant majority of the poor in the country.

Equally worrying is the fact that Nigeria has one of the highest maternal and child mortality rates in Africa and indeed the world. Available statistics indicate that infant mortality is 105 per every 1000 live births, while Under Five mortality rate is put at 178 per every 1000 live births. The HIV/AIDS prevalence rate is 4.3 % making Nigeria third after South Africa and India on the global scale. There is hardly any community in the country that has been spared of the scourge. However, the national response effort has indicated a positive downward trend in the spread of the virus and its management in the country (Osotimehin, 2008).

Politically, Nigeria operates a federal structure with 36 autonomous states and one federal government at the capital in Abuja. The states are further subdivided into semi-autonomous but tightly controlled local governments. There are 774 of such local governments as recognized in the 1999 Constitution. This structure caters for the complex and diverse nature of the country which is said to have multiple religious (predominant ones being Islam and Christianity), over 300 ethnic groups, 500 indigenous languages and 56 registered political parties, all competing for acknowledged presence in the space called Nigeria.

In the country's 48 years of independence, the military had ruled for 28 years, with the remaining years shared by the here today and, gone tomorrow elected regimes. Currently, the country is trying to stabilize its democratization process through the strengthening of its democratic structures after the military handed over power to the civilians in 1999. Of course, there are challenges bothering on good governance, accountability, respect for the rule of law and delivery of services to the satisfaction of the electorates. That notwithstanding, Nigerians generally feel better, freer and more secured under a democracy than during dictatorial military regimes ( Oso et al, 2007 ).

On the economy, Nigeria is rated as the world's sixth largest exporter of oil. Yet, the country is ranked the 25 poorest nations on earth with 70 per cent of the population is described as hungry by the Minister of Agriculture (2008). While petroleum has remained the dominant foreign exchange earner for the country, agriculture is the mainstay of the economy. Agriculture provides employment for majority of the people, food to the nation, raw materials to industries and a major foreign exchange earner. The manufacturing sector is experiencing stresses due to challenging operational environment characterized by massive importation of cheap Asian products, epileptic power supply, widespread poverty and high interest rates, among others. The informal sector plays quite a significant role in the economy though not accorded the required priority.

At present, the government has set a Vision (Vision 2020) of lifting the country's economy to be amongst the best 20 globally, with a targeted growth rate of between 13 to 15 per cent yearly up from the current 6 per cent by Year 2020. To realize the goal of Vision 2020, several initiatives are being implemented at all levels. These include the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), National Economic and Empowerment Development Strategy (NEEDS) and the 7-Point Agenda of the current federal government.

BROADCASTING IN NIGERIA

Broadcasting started in Nigeria in 1932 when the British colonial regime introduced broadcast relay service in the Lagos Area with the basic aim of disseminating officially sanctioned information (Lasode, 1994). From then on, broadcasting, though a strict government affair continued to develop in tandem with the technological improvements in the industry, political restructurings and changes in the country and the influence of the wind of democratization and liberalization that blew across the globe in the 1990s.

For over 60 years, broadcasting had remained a monopoly of the government. Various regimes that ruled the country at several times designed and maintained tight control over the airwaves at both the state and federal levels. In fact, realizing the power and influence of the broadcast media in the life of the average Nigerian, the regimes ensured that little independence was allowed the broadcast media compared to the print media (Kolade,1998).

There are three distinctive factors that have facilitated the exponential growth of the broadcast industry in Nigeria. The global improvement in the broadcast technology apart, politics and political developments in Nigeria at various periods triggered the development of broadcast stations at the regional and later state levels. In the words of Atoyebi (2002), "usually broadcasting makes itself amenable for use in the promotion of development... Unfortunately, politicians, especially chieftains of parties in power often prefer to use the medium to chastise the opposition and their perceived enemies and makes deliberate efforts to preclude opponents access to the airwaves." Because of that, Awolowo, then Premier of the Western Region was literarily angered to establish the Western Nigeria Television (WNTV) in 1959. Similarly, opposition governors in eleven states of the federation established new stations from 1981-1983 to counter the federal government’s more powerful radio and television stations in their respective domains. In summary, every government wanted its voice heard loudly and clearly, hence, the strengthening of their individual broadcast channels.

Secondly, the continuous creation of states in the country from 12 in 1967 to 36 at present had led to the increase in the number of radio stations as each state created its own broadcasting outfit. Equally, decision of the federal government to establish FM stations in all the states in addition to the existing FRCN Zonal Stations in Kaduna, Enugu, Ibadan, Lagos and Abuja has pushed up the number of government owned broadcast stations.

And thirdly, the deregulation of broadcasting by the Babangida Regime in 1992 opened up the airwaves for private participation in the industry. The regime, through the National Broadcasting Commission, Decree No.38, deregulated broadcasting, thus officially liberalizing the broadcast media and opening up the industry for independent/private participation. Before the promulgation of the NBC Decree in 1992, “only the federal and state governments could legally own and operate broadcasting stations since there was no framework for licensing of private broadcast stations” (Panos and IMS, 2005).

At present, there are over one hundred radio stations in Nigeria. The stations are distributed all over the country, though unequally. The federal government owns about 37 per cent of the radio broadcasting sector, the states have 37 per cent with the remainder being shared by private owners.

The philosophy of broadcasting in Nigeria is geared towards the promotion of national unity, integration and total upliftment of the living standard of the people for the optimal development of the country. A similar goal can be said to direct the essence and spirit of broadcasting at the level of the states (Pate, 2006).

Currently, the industry is expected to be further deregulated by governments’ formulation of a National Community Radio Policy, which is expected to further open up the airwaves, enlarge participation and provide a voice for the voiceless at the grassroots level.

CHALLENGES

Like any other sector, broadcasting in the country is also afflicted by many limitations. Some of these are:

• Concentration in urban centres and being urban centred. Most of the stations are located in the state capitals or predominantly in Lagos and Abuja;
• Dominance of the airwaves by foreign musicals especially on the private FM radio stations;
• Tight control of public radio stations by the owner-governments;
• Reliance on outdated equipment and failure to digitalize, especially by most government owned stations. The private stations are better equipped than the public ones.
• Low access to ICT
• Low funding
• Excessive commercialization

Perceptions of Broadcasting

Radio is the most popular and patronized means of mass communication in the country. Two surveys (National Demographic and Reproductive Health Surveys and the RMS at various periods) found that majority of Nigerians depend on radio for the bulk of their information. This is more pronounced in the northern part of the country where the culture is predominantly oral. Currently, one can easily summarize the perception of the current pattern of broadcasting in the country as:

• Broadcast media stations, particularly state government owned are hardly objective in matters that involve their states and their ruling political parties;
• Foreign stations are better believed in matters about the country;
• The resource poor, the rural majority and the female gender are peripherally covered in broadcasting;
• Excessive commercialization in the industry restricts participation and kills the spirit of public service and investigative journalism in the country.

LICENSING OF BROADCAST STATIONS

There are four categories of licensing for radio broadcasting in Nigeria. These are: terrestrial; free to air; radio and television; and subscription based Microwave Multipoint Distribution System (MMDS) or Cable and Direct Home Satellite. The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) is the body solely responsible for the regulation of broadcasting in the country.

The law has provided clear guidelines for potential applicants who may wish to obtain the licence to operate radio or television stations. Under the law, a licence can only be granted to the federal, state or local government or a registered company under the Companies and Allied Matters Act. An application is recommended to the President through the Minister of Information and Communication for approval by the NBC (Atoyebi, 2002; Saidu, 2002).

For any approval, license fees are paid to cover a five year period. The licenses are in three categories: A, B, C. Category ‘A’ licence for radio is N20million; B = N15million and C = N10million. The categorization is based on the location of the operator in urban, semi urban and rural areas.

The law had defined the frequencies that can be assigned to such licensees. The frequencies are: FM, MW and SW. In allocating the frequencies, the NBC has been empowered to approve the location of the station, ensuring the technical specifications of equipment and standard of transmission, call sign, the radius of broadcast, among others (Saidu, 2002).

Section 10 of the NBC Act prohibits the granting of broadcast licenses to political or religiously based organizations. In other words, no broadcast licence can be granted to a religious body to own and operate a radio station.

However, individuals and groups have severely criticized the prohibition. In fact, some individuals had gone to court to compel the Commission to grant them “broadcast licence to own, operate and run a wholly and exclusively religious radio and television stations.” In one of such cases, “Vincent Omegba and four others Vs DG, NBC and another (Suite No.FHC/LICS/120799) wanted the court to compel the NBC to grant them a licence to operate a religious based broadcast station. The case eventually failed when it was dismissed by the court.

RELIGIOUS BROADCASTING

Nigerians have been rated excessively religious. A British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) survey two years ago reported that Nigerians appeared to be seriously religious even though some critics argue that the atmosphere in the country portrayed much religiosity without corresponding behavioural manifestation.

Religion is visible all over the country with places of worship dotting every corner in the land. Equally, religion is treated with seriousness in public domain in Nigeria. For instance, most public ceremonies or activities start and end with prayers, names of individuals are prefixed with religiously inspired titles of Alhaji (male) and Hajiya (female) for the Muslims and one title or another for the Christians. In many instances, you may find JP after the name to indicate that the fellow had visited Jerusalem. Media houses start and close for the day with words of prayers.

Religion is a very sensitive and contentious issue in Nigeria. The government itself is fully aware of that fact. Between 1999 and 2006, the country had witnessed about 70 major eruptions of religiously inspired violence or clashes with devastating consequences (Aliyu, 2004). Little disputes between adherents of different religions can easily explode into full blown community wars. Perhaps, it was in realization of the fact that religion can easily be misused by some elements that the last national census in the country excluded or avoided questions on the religious affiliation of respondents. Previous exercises had resulted in bickering and contestations by adherents of the two main religions. Politicians use religious symbols openly and many a times dangerously in their politicking and public engagements.

Above all, however, religion is a strong social force that has helped to shape the lives and conduct of the Nigerian people. Today, religious education can be obtained almost everywhere in the country.

Even though the Law prohibits the establishment of religiously based stations in Nigeria, it does not however suggest that broadcasting of religious programmes are absent in the content of the various media houses in the country. Religious broadcast feature prominently in the content of the broadcast media through:

• Normal/routine programming of individual stations
• Specially designed/packaged religious programmes with extra hours of broadcast during seasons. Significant religious periods and celebrations are observed with all seriousness in Nigeria. For example, during the annual one month fasting period, stations in states with high number of Muslims suspend their normal broadcasting schedules to accommodate sponsored and non-sponsored religious tafsirs (preachings) from different mosques. Equally, during annual religious occasions like Eid-el-Kabir and the Christmas, live broadcast is relayed on national television and radio to show the rituals from Maccah and the Vatican.
• Mainstreaming of religion into other secular programmes

Almost all radio stations in Nigeria have allocated time for the broadcast of religiously based programmes. Depending on the location and ownership of individual stations, they try to reflect the predominant cultures in their areas of operation. For example, while a radio station in a place like Anambra or Imo may give considerable time to Christian programmes; it is also likely that a station in Kano or Zamfara may devote more hours to Islamically based programmes. For a sate like Adamawa or Kaduna, one is more likely to find a near balance in the quantity of time allocated to the two religions on the airwaves. In addition, most radio stations in the country start the day with morning devotions and close down with night devotions. Equally, the Christmas and Easter periods are seriously marked in the country with the media particularly in high Christian density areas devoting considerable hours to religiously inspired programmes. At such periods, broadcast airtime is allocated to different religious denominations. In cases where some denominations feel they need extra time than the one allocated to them, they are required to pay for the air time.

RELIGIOUS BROADCAST REGULATIONS

Perhaps, considering the complex nature of the Nigerian federal state and desirous of reducing the risks of using the electronic media for any possible acts of conflict in an already tense environment, the Nigeria Broadcasting Commission ( NBC) Act No.38 of 1992 that established the NBC and defined its functions prohibits the Commission from granting a broadcast license to “a religious organization or a political party (Section 10). Equally, the Act stipulates that for the Commission to grant a licence, it must be satisfied that the applicant: “can give an undertaking that the licensed station shall be used to promote national interest, unity and cohesion and that it shall not be used to offend the religious sensibilities or promote ethnicity, sectionalism, hatred and disaffection among the people of Nigeria” (Section 9(e)).

Re-echoing the fear of politicizing the use of the community broadcast media for possible religious intolerance; Opubor (2006) observed that:

this country is not only multifaceted and complex; it is also precariously balanced and deeply divided, along lines that are exploitable for political destabilization. Will religiously oriented stations stop at only preaching their faith, or will they become aggressively proselytizing, consigning other religions to eternal damnation and even uniting their own adherents to messianic violence over the airwave? The climate of intolerance in Nigeria… calls for more vigilance and reflection to prevent obvious abuses.

Thus, in summary, Nigeria’s laws do not permit the specific establishment of radio or television station on the basis of religion or by a religiously oriented body. Instead, existing media organizations are encouraged to operate in accordance with the provision of the National Broadcasting Code Sec.0.3.2.2 by upholding the “various aspects of community life including aesthetics, religion, ethics, philosophy, language, history and the arts.” The Code further enjoins broadcast media houses to recognize and respect the understanding that in Nigeria “religious beliefs and practices are central to people’s lives and are capable of evoking strong passions and emotions.

Nigeria is a community with different faiths and varying sensibilities and sensitivities. To avoid offending any religious belief or practices, stations shall adhere to the following:

a) Equal opportunities and equitable airtime, not less than 90 minutes of a station’s weekly airtime, shall be made available to all religious groups in the community as a civil responsibility without charge;

b) Religious programmes shall be presented respectfully and accurately;

c) Religious broadcast, over which content members of a specific religion exercise control, shall be presented by responsible representatives of the given religion;

d) Religious broadcast shall not contain an attack on, or ridicule of, another religion or sect;

e) Broadcasters shall avoid the casual use of news, words or symbols regarded as sacred by believers;

f) A religious broadcast shall restrict itself to the content of its creed, and shall not be presented in a manner as to mislead the public;

g) A programme promoting religion in any form, shall present its claims, especially those relating to miracles, in such a manner that is provable and believable;

h) Rites and rituals involving cruelty and obscenity shall be avoided except in programmes designed specifically to teach the beliefs of a religion;

i) Notwithstanding the above, religious broadcast shall not exceed 10 per cent of the total weekly airtime of any station.

In addition to the above provisions of the code, the NBC in exercising its oversight functions, does from time to time, draw the attention of individual stations and occasionally the whole industry to any observed breaches or lapses. Two of such instances were in 1996 when the Commission ordered all broadcast media houses to screen for ‘miracles’ claims contained in any religious material before airing it to the public. That order stopped the broadcast of such claims on the media. Equally, in the same year, the media houses were reminded on their social responsibility of allocating, not necessarily charging for broadcasting religious programmes.

CASE STUDY

For the sake of this study, three radio stations have been selected as case studies. Ideally, many more stations should have been considered but due to the limitations of time and funds, two stations in a predominantly Islamic area (Kano) and one that is purely Christian and located in a Christian dominated area (Jos) have been selected. The stations are:

• Freedom Radio (Private) Kano
• Kano Radio (AM) (Public) Kano
• Radio Elwa (Private)

FREEDOM RADIO, 99.5FM (MURYAR JAMA’A)

Background

Freedom Radio (FM) Kano is a fully Nigerian independent, commercially driven and privately owned radio station established by indigenous business persons in 2003. The station is fully computerized with digitally installed equipment in line with the basic requirements for operating modern radio stations in the country.

The station transmits on stereo through a 10KW transmitter with a smaller stand by transmitter (2KW) as a back up. Freedom Radio has a 400ft mass antenna that radiates over a range of 100 kilometers covering the whole of Kano and 80 per cent of Jigawa and Katsina states as well as parts of Yobe, Kaduna, Bauchi, Plateau and Zamfara states. Occasionally, signals of the station are picked in Zinder and Maradi in Niger Republic. This area has a population of about 30million people, who are predominantly Muslims.

Mission

The establishment of the Freedom Radio (Muryar Jama’a – Voice of the People) was inspired by the absence of any form of independent broadcasting outfit in that part of the country. Thus, in order to fill in the visible gap in the horizontal and vertical flow of information in the zone, Freedom Radio was established with the following objectives:

• Address the existing gap in the information needs of the society;
• Provide an effective and reliable voice to the majority of the people;
• Strengthen the bond of national unity and integration;
• Promote the socio cultural, economic and political values of the immediate environment; and
• Promote, protect and advance the rights and freedoms of the people to freely express themselves.

Operations and Contents

Editorial Policy: The editorial content of the station is determined by the Editorial Committee comprising senior journalists in the station and headed by the Director of News and Current Affairs. Equally, there is a standing committee on programmes, which regulates and ensures quality control in all the programmes broadcast on the station.

Currently, the Radio does not have a written editorial policy. Instead, the station is guided by the Country’s Journalistic Code of Ethics and other existing rules and regulations in the land. For the programmes unit, producers are guided by the NBC.

Broadcasting Code

Freedom Radio has twenty eight working journalists. Of the number, 10 are females and 18 males. All the staff are computer literate, they have ICT skills with multiple specialties.

Religious Broadcast

Freedom Radio reflects the social environment in its programming. One way by which it does that is through the allocation of substantial time of its broadcast to Islamic religious programmes in accordance with the feelings of its audience (Darna, 2008). In fact, there is a whole Islamic Religious unit being headed by a senior officer at the station.

Ordinarily, sixteen and half hours of broadcast time are allocated to Islamic religious programmes. But this is tripled during the month of Ramadan (fasting) when the station suspends most of its normal programming to give way to religiously based programmes (sponsored and non sponsored). Equally, the station starts and closes for the day with Islamic devotions that last for about 15 minutes. Islamic and Islam inspired musicals are regularly featured on the airwaves.

PROGRAMMES

Religious:

Programme	Days	Time
		Opening	Closing
Readings from the Holy Qur’an	All days	15 mins	15 mins
Mu Fa’idantu	Mondays	7.30am	8.00am
Kundin Tarihi (Islamic history)	Tuesdays	2.30pm	3.00pm
Mulalibo	Wednesdays	8.00pm	9.00pm
Mu’amalat	Thursdays	2.30pm	3.00pm
Tafsir – Sheikh Ja’afar	Fridays	2.00pm	2.45pm

Social:

Programme	Days	Time
		Opening	Closing
Every Woman	Thursdays	10.00am	10.30am
Gudummar Mata	Wednesdays	5.30pm	6.00pm
Child Comfort	Saturdays	6.00pm	6.30pm
Yaro Sabon Tashi	Sundays	11.30am	12.00pm

Call/Musical:

Programme	Days	Time
		Opening	Closing
Morning Show	Daily	8.15pm	9.30pm
Sunday Night Tunes	Sundays	10.30am	12.00pm
Kowane Tsuntsu	Saturdays	8.00pm	9.30pm
Interlude	Tuesdays	6.15pm	6.30pm
Zabi da Kanka	Wednesdays	10.30pm	12.00pm

Equipment and ICTs

The radio station is fully digitalized with some of the latest gadgets in the country. Programmes are recorded and broadcast with the aid of computers. The broadcast house is connected to the Internet with every staff having access to uninterrupted services. Furthermore, the station can be reached on: www.freedomradionig.co.

Sustainability

The station is a commercial station set up by some investors. Its major source of revenue is from the sale of airtime in form of advertisements, spot announcements and programme sponsorship among others.

While the officials were unable to render specific account of the amount of money realized monthly from the sales of airtime and sponsorship of religious programmes, it was however evident that the station is enjoying a high patronage from the immediate environment. For instance, the total revenue realized from sales of airtime daily is about N250,000. This is with the exception of sponsored programmes which attract different rates. For example sponsorship of religious programmes attract the following charges depending on the quantity of time desired: 60/45minutes = N38,475; 30minutes = N33,345; 15minutes = N22,925.

RADIO KANO

The history of Radio Kano dates back to 1946 when the station started as a branch of the Radio Distribution Service (RDS). Later, it metamorphosed into a Provincial Broadcasting Service. In 1958, the station got a One KW transmitter with coverage capacity of about 25k/m radius to serve Kano municipal.

The station continued to develop over the years until when the then federal military government reorganized the structure of the broadcast industry in the country. A Decree (No.8) was promulgated in 1979 that ordered for the handing over of all existing NBC stations, including the one in Kano to the individual state governments. With that, the station assumed the name Kano State Broadcasting Corporation (Radio Kano).

Currently, the station operates two channels. There is the general service channel with the call sign Radio Kano (AM) and the second that is basically for musicals known as the Radio Kano II (FM) established in 1986. The latter channel is the main revenue earner for the corporation.

Broadcast Content

The station is fully owned by the Kano State Government. As such, its programmes and news contents are generally packaged and broadcast in accordance with the Edict establishing it and the feelings, aspirations and general interest of the people of Kano State.

In-house, there are standing Committees on Programmes and News and Current Affairs headed by the respective directors. The programmes committee plans, assesses and controls the quality of all programmes that emanate from the station. The News and Current Affairs Committee also does a similar task for the news content.

Even though the station does not have an internally documented editorial policy, staff are said to be guided in their individual assignments by the provision of its laws, the Journalistic Code of Ethics and the National Broadcasting Code. These policies and instruments, plus the general sociocultural norms in the society regulate the nature, pattern, content and direction of all programmes and news on the station. In other words, the behaviour of the station is heavily influenced and guided by the tasks, norms, culture and expectations of the people of Kano.

Every week, the station allocates 25hours of airtime to Islamic religious programmes. Some of the programmes include readings from the Holy Qur’an, sermons, tafsirs, religious musicals, etc. Other categories of programmes attract less aggregate hour allocation. In all, the station broadcasts for about 140hours a week, out of which religion gets 25hours, social issues 11hours, culture 8hours and others 95hours.

PROGRAMMES

Religious:

Programme	Days	Time
		Opening	Closing
Reading from Holy Qur’an	Daily	5.35am	11. 45pm
Shari’a Gatan Kowa	Sundays	10.30am	12.00pm
Dausayin Alkur’ani	Mondays	2.00pm	2.15pm
Wa’azin Musulunci	Tuesdays	5.00pm	5.30pm
Mata a Musulunci	Fridays	10.30am	11.00am

Social:

Programme	Days	Time
		Opening	Closing
Abu Namu (Woman Magazine Programme	Saturdays	10.30am	11.00am
Mata a Rayuwa	Sundays	4.00pm	5.00pm
Ina Yara	Mondays	10.30pm	11.00pm
Shirin Yara	Tuesdays	1.00pm	1.30pm

Call/Musical:

Programme	Days	Time
		Opening	Closing
Zabi da Kanka	Sundays	11.30pm	12.30pm
Zaben Barka da Yamma	Mondays	3.00pm	4.00pm
Ina Kwana	Daily	6.00am	6.05am

Profile of Journalists

There are seventy journalists working in the News and Current Affairs unit. Of the number, 61 are males and 9 females. Fifty of them are trained journalists with varying qualifications. Only few of them have ICT skills. Five among them are said to have specialized in reporting religion.

Equipment and ICTs

The station has a combination of digital and analogue equipment. While the Radio II (FM) has been digitalized, its operations computerized, that of the Radio I (AM) is till analogue. It is said that the government is in the process of completing the digitalization of the entire system. It must be added that the station does not have an official website.

Presently, Radio Kano transmits on the following channels:

• Tukuntawa Tx: 1549Khz (546 meters)
• Jogara Tx: 729Khz (412 meters)
• Hotoro FM: 89.32Mhz

Sustainability

The station receives regular subvention from the state government for the running of its services. In addition, it generates about N100,000 daily (though it fluctuates) from sales of airtime, which is used to compliment the subventions received from the government. Without doubt, the station can sustain its services considering the commercial nature and population of its operating environment.

RADIO ELWA (Eternal Love Winning Africa) – 31metre band (SW)

Radio ELWA was established in 1954 as an evangelism arm of SIM/ECWA. It was started as a Ministry for propagating the gospel to Hausa speakers in Nigeria and other West African countries. The station also broadcast in other Nigerian languages like: Yoruba, Nupe, Fulfulde and Igbo.

The station, though principally focused on the Nigerian audience had its operational base in Liberia. But due to the crises in that country in the 1990s, the station shifted its operational base to Swaziland in Southern Africa at “exorbitant cost.” Similarly, it has access to a transmitter in Cotonou for the relay of the programmes that emanate from the base.

Radio ELWA has recoding studios in its headquarters in Nigeria. Programmes are recorded at different locations in Nigeria and sent to Switzerland for broadcast. The studios are in Aba (Igbo), Jos (Hausa) and Igbaja (Yoruba and Nupe).

Being a purely religious station, its mission is to spread the gospel, win more brethrens for the religion and strengthen the faith of complacent followers.

Content

The content of programmes for broadcast is usually determined by a committee under the Director of the station in Jos, where the headquarters is located.

The editorial policy is strictly in line with the mission of establishing the station for the propagation of the gospel. The station broadcasts only religious programmes and gospel music. It does not broadcast the normal secular news and programmes like conventional radio stations or carry adverts.

Hours of broadcast (7.30pm-9pm)( Daily)

Ndi Igbo: 8.30pm – 9.00 pm (Sundays only)

The studios of the station are all computerized. Programmes are normally recorded here in Nigeria on CD plates and couriered to the broadcasting house in Swaziland.

Equally, the station buys airtime on quarterly basis at the PRTVC AM Radio and Radio Ibadan for the broadcast of some of its programmes. The station has no web site though it is linked to the Internet and can be reached on relwa2@yahoo.com

Sustainability

The station is a non-profit making organization that relies solely on donations from individuals and groups. However, such donations fluctuate from time to time. Some of the donations come from faith based organizations outside the country.

Other sources of revenue for the station are monies realized from commercial services like recording musicals for interested groups or individuals and the production and sales of audio tapes. However, income from these sources is meager compared to the demands of the station.

Overall, the station operates on a very tight budget of less than N5m per annum to cater for its 32 members of staff, pay for municipal services and maintain its vehicles and alternative power supply generator, in addition to the expenditure for courier services.

CONCLUSION

It is clear from the discussion so far that there are no religiously based operating radio or television stations in the country. The law forbids that. However, religion and religious issues are variously featured in the content of public and private broadcast media stations as part of their social responsibility in their areas of operation. In few cases, faith based organizations, particularly Christian ministries operate broadcast production outfits that produce programmes locally but broadcast through the purchase of airtime from operating stations outside the country. Such programmes are relayed back to the country as in the case of the ELWA Radio. They also purchase limited airtime to broadcast internally generated programmes on some of the local stations.

As it is, stations feature religious programmes whether produced locally or by independent religious organizations depending on their locations. Those in the Muslim dominated areas tend to have more Islamic oriented programmes just like those in the Christian dominated areas are likely to do so, too. However, in all they that do, the radio stations are guided by the NBC Broadcast Code which prescribes the nature and pattern of religious broadcasting in the media. With this Code, the content of religious broadcasting by stations are observed to avoid any content that will lead to societal backlash or cause further conflict in an already divided society.

REFERENCES

Aliyu, Sani S.O (2004). “The Social Context of Ethno-Religious Conflicts in Plateau State.” In Ityavaar, D. et al (eds). Muslim/Christian Dialogue on Peace in Jos. Jos: Inter-Gender.

Atoyebi, Bayo (2002). “State of Broadcasting in Nigerian: An Overview.” In Broadcast Regulation in Nigeria. Abuja: NBC.

FMoWCD (2006). Situational Analysis and the Gender Policy in Nigeria. Abuja: FMoWCD.

FMoH (2005). National Reproductive Health and Demographic Survey.

Kolade, Christopher (1998). “Deregulation of Broadcasting in Africa.” Keynote Address at Africast, 1998.

Lasode, Obafemi (1994). Television Broadcasting: Nigeria Experience, 1959-1992. Caltop.

NBC (2006). Nigeria Broadcasting Code. Abuja: NBC.

Opubor, Alfred (2006). “Can Road Build Communities?” In Akingbulu, Akin (ed.) Building Community Radio in Nigeria: Issues and Challenges. Lagos: IMS.

Oso, L. and Pate, U. A. (2007). Mass Media and Society in Nigeria. Lagos: Prime Books.

Osotimehin, B. (2008). Daily Trust, April 10.

Panos et al. (2005). Survey on Design Model of Community Radio for Nigeria. Lagos: Panos and IMS.

Pate, U. A. (2006). “Assessment of Radio Broadcasting in Nigeria: Gaps and the Need for Community Radio Broadcasting.” In Akingbulu, A. (ed.) Building Community Radio in Nigeria. Lagos: IMS.

RMS (2000). Continuous Media Survey. Lagos.

Saidu, Rabi (2002). “Broadcast Regulation in Nigeria: The NBC Act Codes and Legal Challenges.” In Broadcast Regulations in Nigeria. Abuja: NBC.

Brochure of Radio Elwa. Jos: ECWA Headquarters.

PERSONS INTERVIEWED

Sule Magaji Beli, Head Current Affairs Unit, Radio Kano

Mustapha Mainasara, Head Religious Unit, , Radio Kano

Idi Na’Allah, Administrative Office, Radio Kano

USman Ada Salisu, Controller Sales, Radio Kano

Abubakar Aliyu Darma, Director Programmes, Radio Kano

Mansur Ibrahim, Administrative Office, Freedom Radio

Abdulrahaman Nuraini, Director Programmes, Freedom Radio

Rev. Dalhatu Abdu, Director Radio Elwa, Jos