Bashir Ibrahim Idris
Today is exactly three days since we lost our senio colleague, as astute brodcaster and a journalist per excellence, Malam Ahmad Isa Koko, former head of the Hausa Service at BOND FM, one of the three FM stations owned by the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, FRCN in Lagos.
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To ardent Hausa radio listeners, Koko was a household name in the 80’s and 90’s when he held sway at Voice of Nigeria, then an arm of FRCN that focused on international broadcasting, before it later stood on its own as a station.
Koko’s style of presentation was unique and that endeared him to thousands of listeners across African countries.
Those were the days when I had my first encounter with him, listening to his popular program called ‘Katibanmu’, which focused on reading Hausa literatures to his audience.
That unique presentation as I mentioned before made him to sway many Hausa radio listenership, as people create time to follow his programs.
The deceased later transfered the program to FRCN Lagos where he continue his presentation in BOND FM Ikoyi. Because of its growing influence and additional followership, the program had a number of sponsors and was also syndicated across some FM stations in several cities across Nigeria.
My first contact with the revered journalist was in January 2007 when I assumed duties as Editor in Chief, Radio France Internationale in Lagos.
Incidentally, both Voice of Nigeria and Radio Nigeria or FRCN shared the same premises in Lagos and VON was the agency that midwife the birth of RFI Hausa, providing the offices for its takeoff.
That was when we build a relationship between Koko, Late Ladan Ibrahim Ayawa of the Voice of America, VOA, Ahazia Suleiman who rose to head VON as Acting DG, Umar Usman Toungo, ther current Director of Programs at VON, Late Garba Aliyu Zaria of RFI Huasa who was then serving as Radio Kaduna correspondent in Lagos, Umar Shehu Elleman of the BBC, Mansur Bala Bello of DW Radio and many other distinguished journalists, mostly from northern part of Nigeria that were working in Lagos.
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For those who knows what Lagos used to be in terms of traffic congestion, Koko’s office became a rallying point for us where we gathered in the evening after closing from our various offices, to while away time before crossing back to our various residencies on the mainland.
While this was going on, RFI Hausa introduced a new weekly discussion program which provide a platform for journalists to discuss current topical issues in Nigeria, Africa and the world. I made Koko, Mohammed Abdullahi Umar of the News Agency of Nigeria Lagos, Umar Usman Toungo of VON and my colleague Abdulkarim Ibrahim permanent features on the program.
That again solidify our professional relationship with the deceased who guide us throughout due to his wealth of experience as a journalist.
In addition, Malam Koko proposed a collaboration between RFI Hausa and BOND FM, whereby BOND FM would be replaying some of our magazine programs, while we on our part train some of their journalists.
The management of RFI accepted the proposal, which is currently on-going and almost all the BOND FM Hausa journalists and technician were trained by RFI Hausa and some of the staff currently served as supporting staff to us. All thanks to Malam Ahmad Isa Koko for this intiative.
To solidify the relationship, RFI Hausa donated transmission and office equipments to FRCN Lagos last year which was duly acknowledged by the management, when we installed new digital equipments in our new office studios.
The demised of Malam Koko due to health challenges would no doubt leave a huge gap on some of us who have built a long standing professional and personal relationships with the amiable broadcaster.
Our condolences to his immediate family, BOND FM and FRCN family and Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ as a whole.
May Allah in His infinite mercies forgive his shortcomings and grant him Aljannah Firdaus.
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