Broadcasting
Broadcaster Calls out Lai Mohammed, Describes Him as Minister of NBC Affairs
By Adelanwa Olajubu
I have followed the affairs of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) over the past two decades, because of the role it plays in regulating broadcasting in our country.
I believe NBC came at the right time, when President Babangida deregulated the industry during the 1990s. I am one of the beneficiaries of the system.
I served in the Cross River State Radio in Calabar, in the early nineties, and I have worked on and off, in several broadcasting stations since then.
I am one of those who believe that NBC is a force for good in our climate. It is there to ensure that broadcasters behave ethically, and in order to ensure a tranquil environment in our country, with its several fault lines that opportunists can exploit to cause disaffection.
That was why many of us applauded NBC early last year, when it closed down Ekiti state radio and television, after the elections. Former Governor, Ayo Fayose wanted to cause mayhem, by trying to announce his own results. I
t wold have been a repeat of the sad experience of the old Ondo state, in the 1983 elections, which resulted in the loss of several lives and the destruction of property. NBC’s quick intervention saved many lives in Ekiti state.
Because I follow keenly developments in and around the NBC, I have been worried about the manner that the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Muhammed, is gradually turning himself into the Minister of NBC Affairs, since his recent re-appointment.
Hardly has a day passed, that he won’t mention something related to the work of the regulatory commission. It is almost as if the NBC does not have a Board in place, or the organization no longer have a Director General.
What is the basis of Alhaji Lai Muhammed’s compulsive obsession with that organization? I have read the story of the Committee that he has set up to implement reforms in the NBC.
And while no one can fault the fact that every public institution needs reformation to meet growing exigencies; what might cause problem is when plans for reform, become an avenue to pursue a personal agenda.
For instance, all broadcasting industry insiders know that Alhaji Lai Muhammed does not have a good relationship with the NBC Director General, Mr. Ishaq Modibbo Kawu.
So when the Minister of Information appointed a Director working under the NBC DG to head a reform implementation committee, a lot of eye brows were raised by watchers.
Why did Alhaji Lai Muhammed make such an appointment? Did he do so in consultation with the DG or inspite of the DG? What role did the Minister assign to the Board of the NBC, which by law is supposed to be directing any reform in the institution?
Did he carry them along or was he actually behaving like a Sole Administrator of the NBC, which is not in the Act setting up the Commission?
How does the Minister justify the fact that his implementation committee is filled with licensees of the Commission? What type of reform can licensees impose on their regulatory agency, that can be fair?
Didn’t the Minister give this a good thought, before putting together his implementation team? And did he not expect that a backlash was going to come from the Board of the Commission, given the clear place that they occupy within the ambits of the law, the Act, which sets up the Commission?
In his heart can he convince himself that he did not disrespect the Board, and especially the Chairman, a two-time Minister, and a leading politician in his own right too?
What exactly is the crime that the NBC Director General has committed against the Minister, that he seems so bent on not only undermining his authority but also seeming to want to prematurely end his tenure at the NBC? For those of us looking from outside, the feeling was that as people from the same state, who were in the same political camp, to end the Saraki reign in Kwara, their relationship would be made beneficial for their state and Nigeria.
It doesn’t seem to be so. My question for Alhaji Lai Muhammed is that, if you get the Director General out of the NBC, would you ever be allowed to appoint another Kwaran in his place? Or you cannot be bothered with such niceties, because all you want is to terminate your Kwara man’s tenure?
And is the Minister even thinking of the negatives that some of his pronouncements are logging for the Buhari administration? When he openly says that he would regulate social media, who is he speaking for really? Is it a coincidence that the Vice President responded to him, that it was not a proper thing to think of regulating or controlling social media?
Is Alhaji Lai Muhammed not helping to reinforce the discourse about President Buhari, being anti-press freedom? Is that the type of negative image that the country’s Minister of Information should be reinforcing, in his over enthusiastic statements, that all come within the whole scenario about his seeming takeover of the NBC? And what is the story that he peddles about issuing a new “National Broadcasting Code”?
The last time I checked, there is a Nigeria Broadcasting Code, which the NBC and the industry work on and is used as the instrument to regulate the broadcasting industry. Who will Alhaji Lai Muhammed use his own “National Broadcasting Code” to regulate? How will he produce such an instrument? Didn’t the NBC release a 6th edition of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code a few months ago? And from what we know, the Code is produced once every four to five years. So how is Alhaji Lai Muhammed going to bring out his own “National Broadcasting Code”, to take the place of the legitimate Nigeria Broadcasting Code?
A lot seems to be happening. And most of these are coming from the pursuit of a personal, and a not too hidden, agenda, by the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Muhammed.
It is so clear, that the more he states that he got presidential approval for his actions, the more hollow it sounds. Presidential approval cannot be a fig leaf to hide a putrid, personal agenda, which might end up destroying the institution, than reforming it.
Alhaji Lai Muhammed is believed to rely on a tiny coterie of individuals, who have personal scores to settle, and have all bunched together to cause as much upheavals as possible in the affairs of the National Broadcasting Commission.
One of the jokes that someone made at the just concluded BON Congress in Lagos, was to ask when Alhaji Lai Muhammed would move his table and chair into the premises of the National Broadcasting Commission, to complete his takeover of the institution.
What is shameful in all that is happening, is that those who can call Minister Lai Muhammed to order, have maintained an unusual silence, as he continues his relentless pursuit of a personal agenda, at the NBC, through a most controversial NBC reform implementation committee.
Surely, President Muhammadu Buhari did not appoint Alhaji Lai Muhammed as a Minister of NBC Affairs. He should live to the oath that he swore to, never to use the position to pursue a personal agenda, because there is so much palpable personal vendetta seeping through all his actions at the National Broadcasting Commission. Nigeria will be the loser, if Alhaji Lai Muhammed is allowed to see through his personal vendetta at the NBC.
Adelanwa Olajubu, a broadcaster, is from Idanre, Ondo State.
Afro-pop star Joeboy takes centre stage this week as he features on the Easter edition of African Voices, the Globacom-sponsored magazine programme on CNN.
In this episode, the Nigeria-born singer sits down with show anchor, Larry Madowo, in Lagos, where he shares the story of his journey from a young university student with big dreams to becoming one of Afrobeats’ most recognised voices.
Long before global attention, Joeboy, born Joseph Akinwale Akinfenwa-Donus, started out experimenting with music and sharing covers online. His 2017 cover of Ed Sheeran’s “Shape of You” marked a turning point, helping him transition fully into singing and setting the stage for what was to come.
That moment soon opened new doors, including a connection with Mr. Eazi, who brought him into the emPawa Africa talent programme. This provided support and exposure for his music to reach a wider audience, laying the foundation for his professional career. The alliance also birth “Fààjí,” which featured Mr. Eazi in 2018, after which he was signed to Warner Music Africa.
Under this partnership, Joeboy released his hit single “Baby” in 2019, followed by “Beginning,” which has 23 million views on YouTube. He also released “Love & Light” the same year and featured Mayorkun in the tracks “Don’t Call Me” and “All for You”
Since then, the 29-year-old has gone on to release two albums, Somewhere Between Beauty & Magic in February 2021 and Body & Soul in 2023, while earning recognition across the continent, including awards for his contributions to African pop music. He won Best Artist in African Pop at the 2019 All Africa Music Awards and Best Pop at the 2020 Soundcity MVP Awards Festival.
The programme will air on Saturday at 7.30 a.m., with several repeat broadcasts scheduled across the weekend and into the following week. 11 a.m. on Saturday; on Sunday at 3.30 a.m. and 6 p.m. This continues on Monday at 3 a.m. and 5.45 p.m, and on Tuesday at 5.45 p.m. The schedule will be repeated next week until 3 a.m. on Monday.
The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja has dismissed an appeal filed by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), seeking to overturn a Federal High Court judgement that restrained it from imposing fines on radio and television stations across the country.
NBC
Delivering the lead judgement, Justice Oyebiola Oyewumi, on behalf of a three-member panel, upheld the earlier ruling and set aside the fines imposed by the NBC on 45 broadcast stations on March 1, 2019, for alleged breaches of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code.
The panel was presided over by Justice Abba Mohammed, with Justice Donatus Okorowo as the third member.
According to a statement issued by Idowu Adewale, Communications Officer of Media Rights Agenda (MRA), the unanimous decision of the Court of Appeal stemmed from a suit filed by the non-governmental organisation in November 2021, challenging the NBC’s powers to impose fines on broadcasters.
The Federal High Court, in its judgement delivered on May 10, 2023, by Justice James Omotosho, ruled in favour of MRA after the NBC failed to defend the suit.
The court held that fines are sanctions imposed on persons found guilty of criminal offences and, under Nigerian law, only courts of law have the authority to impose such penalties.
Setting aside the fines of ₦500,000 each imposed on the affected stations, Justice Omotosho stated that the NBC “is neither a court nor a judicial tribunal to make pronouncements on the guilt of broadcast stations, notwithstanding what the NBC Code says.”
He added that the Commission’s actions violated the Constitution.
Dissatisfied with the ruling, the NBC filed a motion in July 2023, urging the same court to set aside the judgement on the grounds that it lacked jurisdiction and had reached its decision without considering relevant facts.
However, in November 2023, Justice Omotosho dismissed the application, describing it as futile and an afterthought, noting that available evidence showed the Commission had been duly served but failed to appear in court to defend the case.
The NBC subsequently approached the Court of Appeal in July 2024, seeking to overturn the judgement.
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At the hearing on February 4, 2026, Mr Victor Ogude (SAN), leading Mr Kehinde Wilkey for the NBC, adopted his brief of argument and made additional submissions.
Counsel to MRA, Ezenwa Anumnu, also adopted his brief and responded accordingly.
In its ruling, the appellate court agreed with MRA’s position that the NBC, having failed to contest the suit at the Federal High Court, could not raise fresh challenges at the appellate level.
Justice Oyewumi held that the appeal lacked merit and accordingly dismissed it.
With this decision, MRA has secured victory in the first of two appeals involving the NBC over separate Federal High Court judgements barring the Commission from imposing fines on broadcast stations.
The second appeal, filed by the NBC against a similar judgement delivered on January 17, 2024 by Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia of the Federal High Court, Abuja, is still pending. The Court of Appeal heard arguments in that matter on March 25, 2026 and has reserved judgement.
In that case, the NBC is challenging a ruling arising from a suit filed by MRA after the Commission imposed fines of ₦5 million each on a television station and three pay-TV platforms in 2022 for allegedly undermining national security through the broadcast of documentaries on banditry in Nigeria.
Dr.Shaibu Husseini, the Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer of the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB), has called for stronger distribution frameworks within Nigeria’s film industry to ensure that locally produced content achieves global visibility.
He urged film festivals across the country to evolve beyond networking platforms into active marketplaces where filmmakers could secure distribution deals. He stressed that festivals must attract distributors, exhibitors, streaming platforms, and marketers to create tangible opportunities for filmmakers.
Husseini made this call while delivering the keynote address at the opening ceremony of the 2026 edition of the Coal City Film Festival held in Enugu.
“Film festivals must become gateways to distribution where filmmakers leave not just with applause, but with real opportunities,” he said.
Husseini expressed personal delight at hosting the event in Enugu, his birth state, noting the city’s rich cultural heritage and longstanding contribution to Nigeria’s creative landscape.
He commended the festival organisers, particularly the Festival Director, Uche Agbo, for their resilience and commitment in sustaining the
initiative. According to him, the Coal City Film Festival has grown into a significant cultural platform and a must-attend cinematic event in South East Nigeria.
Speaking on the festival’s theme, “Local Stories, Global Screens,” Husseini emphasised the importance of authenticity in storytelling. He noted that films rooted in local realities, languages, and cultural truth often resonate more strongly with global audiences.
He cited notable Nigerian productions such as King of Boys by Kemi Adetiba, The Wedding Party by Mo Abudu, Anikulapo by Kunle Afolayan,
“Black Book” by Editi Effiong, and “Lionheart” by Genevieve Nnaji as examples of culturally grounded stories that have gained international recognition on platforms such as Netflix and at global film festivals.
While acknowledging the growth in film production across Nigeria, the NFVCB boss identified distribution as a major bottleneck in the industry. He observed that many high-quality films struggle to reach audiences both locally and internationally due to limited distribution channels.
Reaffirming the Board’s commitment to industry development, Husseini stated that the NFVCB has continued to reposition itself as a partner in progress by engaging stakeholders, improving classification processes, and promoting a balance between creative freedom and social responsibility.
However, he raised concerns over increasing non-compliance with regulatory requirements, noting that some filmmakers bypass the Board by releasing unclassified films or operating without proper licensing.
He said all films and video works must be submitted to the NFVCB for classification and registration before being released on any platform, including digital platforms such as YouTube.
“This is a legal obligation, and the Board will not hesitate to take decisive action against defaulters,” he warned, adding that regulation is essential for protecting the industry, audiences, and national values.
Looking ahead, Husseini assured stakeholders of the Board’s continued collaboration with filmmakers and festival organisers to build a structured, sustainable, and globally competitive Nigerian film industry.
He concluded by commending the organisers of the Coal City Film Festival for their vision and contribution to Nigeria’s cultural economy, urging filmmakers to continue telling authentic stories that can resonate across global screens.
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