Dr Ahmed Tijjani Ramalan is a businessman and the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of Liberty Radio 91.7 FM Kaduna.
In this interview with ABDULRAHEEM AODU and OJO SOLA OLUSEGUN, he explained why the radio station said the the frequent fines (the latest being N3 million) imposed on it by the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC) is unfair, the need for more radio stations in the north and his plans for Liberty Television which is set for transmission soon
What is the dream behind Liberty Radio?
Well, the dream behind Liberty Radio is for us here as a team to put on ground a radio station in this part of the country that will compete favourably with other stations in other parts of the country especially, those radio stations operating in Lagos and Abuja and also we want to raise the bar of broadcasting in northern Nigeria to international standard. That is our objective.
How has Liberty Radio been able to key into the area of vernacular broadcasting to reach people at the grassroots like other radio stations such as Radio Nigeria?
Radio Nigeria is a public radio station. We are a private and independent radio station and we are also having our own part in broadcasting in Hausa, pidgin and other northern Nigeria languages. We have created our own path and we are going to excel in our own path as a private station.
Thus far would you say that Liberty Radio has achieved its aim?
Liberty Radio is just two years old now; it is still a young station that is trying to grow. We came into broadcasting precisely on the 11th of January 2012, which makes us two years plus. I believe as a young private and independent station, we have made our mark in the last two years because we have done what no other Nigerian station has been able to do in Nigeria.
Coming to the tops in just two years as far as media ratings are concerned, we were rated as number one in northern Nigeria by various media within and outside Kaduna. Within the last two years, we have won two media awards. Last year, 2013 we won the first Gangariya Radio award as the best radio station here in Kaduna. Also last year, we won a national award by the Nigeria Broadcasting Merit Award in Lagos as station of the year for the North including Abuja.
It is not easy for a young station, a northern young station like that to come in and slug it out with established FM stations in Abuja, Kaduna and other part, of the country to come out tops. I think we have achieved so much in the last two years and we give God and our numerous listeners the glory.
What would you say is unique about Liberty Radio?
What makes Liberty Radio unique is our style, our programming and our contents. We are a radio station with the slogan ‘Voice for all’ and we came into an industry where the people were seriously yearning for a platform to make their voices heard. Liberty Radio came in handy and since then we have been giving people the platform for their voices to be heard.
Since we came into northern Nigeria two years ago, Liberty Radio has indeed proved that we are a private and independent radio station. We balance our stories and we give everybody the opportunity to air his views; the government, the opposition and also the masses. We do not discriminate when it comes to usage of the platform.
How easy has it been?
To be honest with you, it has been very difficult. Broadcasting in Nigeria especially in this part of the world- northern Nigeria is not very lucrative coupled with insecurity in the region. In the last two years, we have been trying very hard to go on aggressive marketing but the marketing and commercial revenue in Kaduna and indeed from most parts of the north is nothing to write home about.
We have that very serious challenge and also we try as much as possible to do a lot of marketing drive with the Lagos agencies because they are the backbone of our success. We know our market, we know that the commercial media revenue from Lagos is huge; we have been working very hard to have a bit of the revenue from Lagos, which has been sustaining us, and I believe, as the years go bye, we will be able to break even. It has not been easy, but we are weathering the storm.
What is the reach of Liberty radio?
Liberty radio is the only online radio in Kaduna, so there is nowhere you are in the world that you cannot listen to Liberty Radio. All you need do is click on www.libertyradio.com.ng and you will receive our crystal clear signal all over the world online. On air that is through the 91.7fm radio, you can pick us in all parts of Kaduna state and parts of Kano state, Plateau state, Niger state, FCT and also people from Taraba, Adamawa do call in during our live programmes to say that they listen to us. Even recently, they have been calling us from as far as Asaba in Delta state and Lokoja in Kogi state. We are in most of northern states to be precise.
Recently, Liberty Radio was handed a fine of N3million by the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission. What was your offence?
Last year we were slammed with a fine of N2 million when we were just about a year two months old, we pleaded that the fine should be waived because we are a young radio station battling to survive on air in northern Nigeria. The then DG of NBC, Engineer Bolarinwa graciously suspended and waived the fine and we thought that the matter was laid to rest. Unfortunately, we were not given any letter to that effect. It was just a gentleman agreement. Recently again, we were fined additional N1million. We got the letter just last week from the NBC saying that we should pay N3million; the N2million which was not paid last year and also the additional N1million fine for one of our live political programme where we featured Dr. Usman Bugaje. We look at the letter professionally and found out that we did not do anything to breach the provision of NBC.
They were challenging us that we covered a seminar on corruption organised by the All Progressive Congress (APC) and we were fined that N1million for covering them live on commercial basis. We felt we are free to cover them as far as they pay and we were paid. But, we drew the attention of NBC that we also covered the rally of People Democratic Party (PDP) when Mr. President, Goodluck Jonathan came to Kaduna for the zonal rally of the party. We covered the PDP rally free as part of our corporate social responsibility. We were fined N1 million for covering the APC seminar, why were we not fined for covering PDP rally free. We made that point that we did not commit any sin and that it was unfair to fine us. We felt that was discriminating because we also covered the PDP rally, which other stations like NTA, AIT, FRCN too covered without a fine. We made our comprehensive submission to NBC for the DG, who is a professional, to look at it, see to our arguments, appeal, and waive the fine. We are still expecting to hear from them on our appeal for a waiver.
Do you see this action as a clampdown on broadcast organisations believed not to be pro-ruling party?
Liberty Radio is not pro-government or opposition; we are a voice for all. We provide platform for everybody to air his views. I do not think we should be classified as radio that is against anybody. I do not share that point of view that the NBC, our regulatory body, go after any northern radio station because of that. Of course, some other people outside Nigeria have this belief and it is making the round in some radio and social media that certain radio stations in the north are being targeted before the next election. I have read many comments that Liberty Radio, Freedom Radio and Vision FM in Abuja are to be closed down. I do not think this government that has signed the Freedom of Information Bill, this government that has shown to the people of Nigeria that it can accommodate the excesses of people, can go ahead with that kind of thing.
Do not forget also that media in northern Nigeria is not adequate. If you look at the media generally, you will see that we have most TV stations in the south and most radio in the north but we do not have enough radio stations. I cannot see anybody in government thinking of closing down northern radio stations. I think it is just a kind of rumour people are spreading and I do not believe that.
Should NBC still stand by its decision after your appeal, what would you do?
As a body, I believe that NBC will listen to us and they will look at our appeal and offer waiver because first of all we do not even have N3million to pay. If they insist, as law-abiding citizens of this country, then we have no other alternative than to do what Ray Power did by coming back to the community to raise the money, which is the only way we can pay that colossal amount of money. Do not forget that this is the radio station that is being listened to by the people in the north and I believe other northerners will come to our aid. I remember Liberty Radio is a member of the Northern Broadcast Media Forum though a member of Nigeria Media Forum. We have taken the matter to them and I believe they will know what step to take to protect the media in the north.
Could there be political undertone to all these issues?
I do not believe there is any political undertone. I believe that there is just some misunderstanding here and there. If there is any, then that will be unfortunate.
As a prominent politician in previous political era, you have been quiet lately?
Yes I was a politician but now I am not an active politician. For now I ‘m concentrating on myself and my business. When I say business, I’m not only into broadcasting, I’m also into other businesses as far as maritime is concerned, so I want to dedicate more of my time now to develop my business. I am one of those Nigerians who prefer to take their bow now. I do not want to start slugging it out with young people. I want to respect my old age. I was opportune to start politics when I was very young. I have been chairman of two political parties in the northern Nigeria. I was a member of national working committee. I have paid my dues as far as active politics is concerned. I have also paid my due as far as public service is concerned. I have broken the record. I have been CEO of afederal government parastatal for two years and I left honourably. I was the national chairman of Nigerian Maritime and Safety Agency (NIMASA). Today NIMASA is doing well; I started as interim chairman and graduated to be the chairman. I was also given a special assignment to drive a merger of two government agencies. I drove the merger of National Maritime Authority (NMA) and Action Labour Industrial Council. I made sure that I drew the bill through the federal executive council, through the National Assembly and today, the agency is doing very well. I have paid my dues in politics and public sector. So I need more time to develope my own business because I look forward to a good retirement.
Any plans for 2015 ?
Regarding 2015, my plan is to go and exercise my constitutional right to go and cast my vote for any candidate of my choice right from the house of assembly election up to the presidency. I am not going to contest any election.
There were rumours that you are going into TV, how true is that?
Yes, we are going into TV, Liberty Television, because we have made our visibility studies from most of our marketers in Nigeria and indeed the world. As we will be transiting from analogue to digital broadcasting, this is a very good opportunity for all those that are interested in broadcasting to take that advantage. We have applied for license from NBC to set up terrestrial TV but they drew our attention that NBC has reduced issuance of license because of switching from analogue to digital. We also applied for radio licenses since 2012 to have Hausa radio channel, which is also pending. Because of that, we felt the need to go into TV because as far as commercial revenue is concerned, the commercial revenue of TV is more than that of radio just as the commercial revenue of paper is better than that of the radio. We are looking at it on business terms since we are on radio and there is this window that people should go digital. We are discussing with some satellite service providers so that we can procure a platform, channels both local and international for us to have Liberty TV on the platform. We are discussing with an organization in the United Kingdom. In the course of vsat, we are discussing with MYTV Ghana, DSTV, Startimes and Daarsat. We really want to have as many platforms as possible because we are coming up with a unique TV in addition to the current radio station that will bring something new to Nigerians.
