FEATURE ARTICLE ON THE HISTORY OF TELEVISION IN NIGERIA.

FEATURE ARTICLE ON THE HISTORY OF TELEVISION IN NIGERIA.

The history of television in Nigeria, with particular reference to the Western Nigerian Television (WNTV) since its inception in 1959, the emergence of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) and the proliferation of television stations in the states of the federation. It becomes very useful to trace the evolution of television in Nigeria, considering its contributions to the development of the country. For since its establishment, the medium has served as a veritable source of information, entertainment, education, etc.

          Thirty-three years after John Baird, television’s first inventor, demonstrated his new system to the Royal Institution in Great Britain, television broadcasting was established in Nigeria, by the then Western Nigerian Government in Ibadan and was commisioned by the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo. This was in 1959. The station was known as Western Nigerian Television (WNTV), now the Nigerian Television Authority, Ibadan (NTA, Ibadan). Thus it become the first television station in Nigeria and indeed Africa as a whole, hences it slogan: “First in Africa”.

The birth of Western Nigerian Television (WNTV) has been regarded by some people as purely accidental, because it was born out of political dissension: to voice the regional government’s opinions and views regardless of the federal govermnet. The political development of Nigeria contributed a lot to birth of television broadcasting and the subsequent proliferation of television stations in the country. The opposition to Chief Anthony Enachoro’s self government in 1956 motion by the members of the northen Nigeria in the House of representatives created extreme tension in the House. This subsequently led to the mass walk-out and resignation of Enahoro’s own party, the Action Group in the House of Assembly in 1953, with the resignation of their ministers from the federl cabinet, thus disrupting Macpherson constitution. As a result of this mass walk-out and resgniation by the members of Action Group (AG), Governor Macperson made an accusing broadcast, which the Action Group leader, chief Obafemi Awolowo, wanted to reply to but was denied the use of the radio station, Nigerian Broadcasting services (NBS). Chief Obafemi Awolowo was angered by this and he accused the NBC of being a government tool, manipulated by the governor and his officials. The outcome of all this, was the emergence of a new constitution for Nigeria in 1954 and in it, broadcasting ceased to be on the Federal Exclusive list. In other words, regional governments could set up broadcasting services of their own: a constitutional provision which made it possble for the Western regional government to up its own broadcasting services.

The broadcasting services set up by the Western regional government, the Western Nigerian Television (WNTV), was run as an arm of the Western Broadcasting Corporation. Initially, Nigeria it was operated under the busines names of Western Nigerian Radiovision Services Limited, in partnership with Overseas Rediffusion Limited of the United Kingdom. The Western regional government in 1961 bought over the share of the foreign partners and thus become the sole proprietor.

In 1960, the former Eastern Regional Government set up the Eastern Nigerian television (ENTV) now the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) Enugu. Shortly after, in 1962, the Northen Nigerian Regional Government and a British television company (Greneda Electrical Company), established a television station as an arm of the Broadcasting Company of Northern Nigeria (BCNN), located in Kaduna. The station was known as the Radio Kaduna  Television (RKV). In 1962, the federal Govermnet of Nigeria set up the Nigerian Television Services (NTS) in partnership with and under the managemnet of an American network. Within a few years of the region. However, the services of the Nigerian television Services (NTS), were confined to Lagos and its environs for over fourteen years, until the coming of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA).

With the creation of twelve states in 1967 by Major General Yakubu Gowon in Nigeria, more television stations were establishged. In April 1973, the government of the Mid- Western state, under Sanuel Osaigbovo Ogbemudia, established the Mid- Western Broadcasting Corporation, now Nigerian Television Authority, Benin (NTA Benin) under the Mid- West Edict No. 13 of 1973. Also the government of the Benue Plateau State in 1974 established the first station transmiting in colour.

By April 1976, when all the television stations in Nigeria were taken over by the federal governmnet, under Decree No. 24 of 1977 which established the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) as the sole authority responsible for television broadcasting in Nigeria, there were ten stattions:

1.     Western Nigeria Television, Ibadan (WNTV, Ibadan).

2.     Eastern Nigerian Television, Enugu (ENTV, Enugu).

3.     Radio Kaduna Television, Kaduna (RKV, Kaduna).

4.     Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation Television, Lagos.

5.     Mid-West Television, Benin (MTV, Benin).

6.     Benue Plateua Television, Jos (BPTV, Jos).

7.     Rivers State Television, Port Harcourt (RSTV, Port Harcourt).

8.     Kano State television, Kano.

9.     North West Television, Sokoto.

10.                        Eastern Nigeran Television, Aba.

With the creation of seven more states in 1976 by General Murtala Mohammed, the number of television stations grew from ten at the inception of the Nigerian television Authority (NTA) to twenty-two.

There was a television station ineach of the new state’s capitals which did not previously have a television service. Also with the creation of additional nine states in August, 1991 by General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida, more state television stations were established. And the establishment of National broadcasting Commisdion, also by the Babangida government, paved the way for private television station owership. Though a few have been licensed, none has commenced operation.

In 1976, the Federal Military Government announced its intention take over all television stations in Nigeria. It then set up a machinery within the Federal Ministry of Information to effect this plan. All the ten existing televisions Ibadan, Enugu, Kaduna, Lagos, Benin, Jos, Port Harcourt, Kano, Sokoto and Aba were thereby taken over and incorporated in the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA). The Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) was finally inaugurated in May 1977.

GARBA USMAN

KUW/U14/MCM/2016