INVESTIGATION: The untold story of how Atiba FM Oyo remained a dream for 17 years

In many communities in Oyo city, the morning begins with the call to prayer, reciting the call to prayer Okada (motorcycle), and the crackle of the radio. Modupe Olusola, a dark-skinned woman with typical Oyo tribal features who owns a provision shop, regularly listens to and sings lyrics to Yoruba melodies.

Olusola, a middle-aged trader and mother of four, listens to the radio and often wonders whether the proposed radio station opposite her shop is one she can listen to for music and news programs.

The incomplete building he pointed to was to house Atiba FM, a community radio station proposed about two decades ago. The bare walls of the building, which almost reached the doorway, began to collapse, and the neighborhood turned into a garbage dump that collected all forms of waste from society. Its low fence was defaced with posters of a recent Christian campaign in the countryside.

“For years, we have been waiting for this building to be revisited, restored and perfected,” Olusola said, but “judging by the circumstances, this radio project may not be repeated. It was a failure.”

The idea of ​​community radio was born in 2009 by the Oyo Metro Development Association (OMDA), a group of indigenous people living in the city of Oyo in Oyo State, southwest Nigeria. The media’s mission was to be a platform that celebrated the cultural practices of Oyo and its people, especially since social media platforms had not yet been adopted at that time.

With the support of the then Alaafin, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III, the project was named in honor of Oba Atiba Afobatele, the 19th century ruler who founded New Oyo, considered the Oyo Empire.

All efforts made by the group were in vain due to shortcomings, such as lack of resources and the frequent collapse of installed antennas, thus hampering broadcasting.

According to Abiola Jagunmolu, who is secretary of the Silo Committee and Atiba FM under the Oyo Global Forum, another community development group, Oyo’s non-political leadership must abandon the idea of ​​community radio and seek solutions to the technical challenges it constantly faces.

“We don’t have enough money to make our collective dreams come true,” he said. “So we turned to the government.”

In 2011, OMDA executives got together, galvanized themselves, and visited the Oyo State government to ask him to take over the implementation of the project and run it. The meeting was held between community representatives and Alao Akala, who took office as Governor of Oyo State in April 2011, but still has several weeks left in his term. Isiaka Abiola Ajimobi, his successor who has now passed away, then started a trail of promises that have fallen to the ground.

For a long period of time, the government did not take progressive action.

The Atiba project, as it was called, was finally contracted in 2015, but was not carried out in the ‘right’ way, resulting in damaged foundations several years later. “Governor Ajimobi’s actual plan is a silo project for the Oyo axis,” said Jagunmolu. The ‘silo project’ he spoke of referred to Integrated Agriculture Silos Complex Projectswhich is intended to create large storage capacity for agricultural produce in Oyo City. “Atiba FM is an afterthought added to the contractor’s work.”

In July 2011, several engineers from the Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State reported visited proposed location for radio frequency site suitability study and assessment, but no further action was taken. Amid the delays, the state government’s relationship with contractors fall due to the sudden revocation of the contract and the eventual litigation battle between the two parties. This happened in 2019, the same year that Ajimobi left office after his successor, Seyi Makinde, was elected.

When he took office, Makinde stepped in, taking the contract issue to court for mediation. He approved the disbursement of ₦22 million to pay off the contractor, as an important conclusion of the out-of-court settlement and agreement. Furthermore, in 2021, the state government was reported released

₦100 million for completion of Atiba FM.

Musibau Adetunji, Makinde Chief Economic Adviser, who announced the approval at a meeting in Oyo City, said the project would be overseen by an agency under the state government. The decision received praise from various stakeholders, including the Freelance and Independent Broadcasters Association of Nigeria (FIBAN), Oyo branch.

Years later, there is no longer a radio home, but Makinde, like his predecessors, does not stop promising.

In 2023, Dynasty 89.9 FM, the first private radio station in Oyo, was commissioned by him. He said, in a social media post, that he remember Atiba FM. Makinde’s words were again promising, according to those attending the ceremony.

The Atiba FM project was handed over to the Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State (BCOS), with a mission to establish, maintain and operate a transmitting and receiving station, following a contract brouhaha; However, officials say otherwise.

“BCOS’s job is to equip the proposed station with staff, technical equipment and training for smooth programming operations, which makes Atiba FM part of our business,” said Taiwo Adebowale, general manager. “But to the best of my knowledge, no money has been received for Atiba.”

“That’s between the contractor and the government,” he added.

One of the engineers evaluating the site spoke on condition of anonymity. “Atiba will become one of our outlets when it is operational. For now, it is still a proposed station.” As with the general manager, he said, “To find out more, please contact government officials or visit the secretariat.”

The agency’s reaction prompted questions about the N100 million that was reported to have been released under the Makinde administration for the completion of the radio studio – specifically, how, when and who received it.

This reporter submitted a Freedom of Information (FOI) request dated August 18, seeking detailed information, particularly regarding the contractor, budget and plans for Atiba FM, as a government development project. The request was sent to a publicly available Oyo government email address.

However, 28 days after the FOI request was submitted, the office has not responded. This is contrary to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) enacted in 2011, which states that all public institutions must provide necessary information upon request.

But new details emerged when Prince Dotun Oyelade, who once served as head of BCOS and is currently the Commissioner for Information and National Orientation, was contacted by this reporter.

“The money was never disbursed, only discussed,” said Oyelade. “The government did promise 100 million to be included in the 2022 budget, but the budget at that time was not fulfilled.”

Amidst the controversy surrounding the payment, a contractor continues to claim Atiba FM as a project under his supervision.

Mufutau Raheem, owner of Rahvet International Nigeria Limited, was the contractor, according to his own words. A search of his contracting company reveals that the controversy has escalated manifold, and his name remains at the center of long-standing problems.

When contacted, he said, “The matter is a sub-judicial matter. I cannot speak to the press until this matter comes to light. This matter must be resolved in the Oyo State House of Assembly.”

The Integrated Agricultural Silo Project was contracted to him, but fell into disuse after more than N1.5 billion was disbursed. The problem raised in the Oyo State House of Assembly last year, and he was called upon to explain the reasons behind the incompletion for over a decade.

Rahvet International Nigeria Limited’s relationship with Atiba FM could not be independently verified, but Raheem’s response during his interview with a local news platform suggests a contractual agreement.

In 2020, Raheem told reporters that “Governor Seyi Makinde’s new administration inaugurated a committee to review several contracts awarded by the previous administration. This radio station project was among the projects under review. The Committee’s Report White Paper is awaited, and it is hoped that Governor Seyi Makinde will save the Atiba FM Radio project as he did for the Silo project.”

“This radio is a turnkey project, very unique and the first of its kind. Together with our foreign technical partners, we plan for it to become a reference point in broadcasting in Africa.”

His words described an investment he failed to answer when contacted.

Community members interviewed by this reporter blamed Raheem, not the government, for the failure of their dream of having a state-owned radio station, and demanded that Raheem be held responsible.

Like Jagunmolu, they said, “The government is not doing anything against the contractors. Why?”

Olorunpoto Rahaman, the lawmaker representing Oyo East/Oyo West constituency (including Atiba), formally summoned the contractor, Raheem, for audit through his legislative office. The radio project’s exclusion from the comprehensive audit list immediately sparked dissatisfaction among community stakeholders.

He said, “I don’t believe past governments documented their efforts (on Atiba FM); to me this looks like a political nod or move, because I have visited BCOS and the relevant ministries, and I have not found any official information or records.”

Despite having a strong ability to hold contractors accountable, Rahaman was unable to find the necessary records. Therefore, he now views radio stations as a lower priority, considering that there are already three private stations operating in Oyo city.

More than 85 percent Radio stations in Nigeria are government owned or commercial based. Other organizations representing non-commercial, institution-based ideas, such as Unilag FM at the University of Lagos and Hope FM at Babcock University, are both in the southwestern region of the country.

Jonathan Shekwonuzhibo, a media consultant and publisher of the Joey Off-Air Podcast, a community journalism platform in northern Nigeria, said the absence of radio in grassroots communities shows the lack of representation of Nigerian society.

“Broadcasting in local languages ​​fosters inclusivity and reflects cultural values, making information understandable even by communities with low literacy levels and rural communities,” said Shekwonuzhibo.

With more than 60 per cent Of the Nigerian population living in rural communities, this form of inequality means that 150 million of the population lack media representation. The radio example is not unique: systemic digital difference continues to exclude rural communities from accessing mainstream media channels, from traditional print and broadcast media to contemporary social media spaces.

Shekwuonuzhibo believes that community radio plays an important role in driving development: “Local radio stations enable two-way communication, where political, religious or traditional leaders can communicate, and viewers can call in to react to things that are easily understood by both parties, such as street lights in a hamlet or harmful cultural practices, such as female genital mutilation.

He added, “It also encourages community and citizen journalism.”

By Peace Oladipo

This investigation is supported by That budeshi Media/Mini Grant, an initiative of the Public and Private Development Center (PPDC)