Throwback Thursday: Old television stations in Nigeria
By Abimbola Mohammed
Invented in 1927, television was still a rarity in 1959 when it was introduced into Nigeria by the Chief Obafemi Awolowo-led Action Group government of Western Nigeria. As at then, most European countries were still oblivious of the tube. Then, the usual congregation at the compound square for tales by moonlight shifted to the houses of the few affluent individuals who could afford a television set which supplanted the compound griot with its captivating black and white light and pictures that move and talk.
Today, the television is one of the commonest things to find with almost every household in Nigeria having a set.
Come, along as we take you through some of the television houses that have yielded their space as the history of television unfolds in Nigeria.
WNTV
The first television station in Nigeria was the Western Nigerian Government Broadcasting Corporation (WNTV). It began broadcasting on 31 October 1959. Its first Chairman was Olapade Obisesan, a lawyer trained in the United Kingdom. Vincent Maduka, a former engineer, was the General Manager. The station was based in Ibadan, making it the first broadcast station in tropical Africa, although some northern parts of Africa already had television stations. It, and other regional stations that followed its example were forcefully taken over by the federal government of Nigeria, merged with the few Nigerian Television stations to form the Nigeria Television Authority in 1977.
Benue-Plateau Television Corporation (BPTV)
Benue-Plateau Television Corporation (BPTV) was established in 1974 with headquarters in Jos. It was the first television station to launch regular/permanent colour broadcasts in Africa. The colour test transmissions began on 1 October 1975. BPTV was later re-branded as NTV-Jos, a part of the NTA network.
NTA
The Nigerian Television Authority or NTA is a Nigerian government-owned and partly commercial broadcast station. Originally known as Nigerian Television (NTV), it was inaugurated in 1977 with a monopoly on national television broadcasting, after a takeover of regional television stations by military governmental authorities in 1976. After declining interest from the public in government-influenced programming, it lost its monopoly over television broadcasting in Nigeria in the 1990s.
The NTA runs the largest television network in Nigeria with stations in several parts of the country. It is widely viewed as the “authentic voice” of the Nigerian government
Clapperboard
Clapperboard Television was functional in the 90s. It was active in the dissemination of various programmes as at when TV programmes used to start at 4 pm. It ceases operation around the early 2000s.
DBN
DBN was also a privately owned television station that was launched in the year 1995. It was popular with Kenny G Saxophone music sign tune. The station was popular with movies and also prominent with the dissemination of various entertaining programmes and events. It ceases to be popular also in the early 2000s.
MBI
Minaj Broadcast International (MBI) was a premium General Entertainment Channel that aired imported programming from various international channels. It broadcasted from Ladipo in Lagos and was popular with the youths in the early years of the millennium.
Yotomi TV
Yotomi Television station was owned by the late theatre Icon, Alade Aromire. It was very active during the lifetime of the veteran. After the death of its proprietor, the TV was run for sometimes, but, later packed up in the late 2000s.
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