Dr. Mua’zu Babangida Aliyu, governor of Niger State, has said that the era of use broadcast stations to oust governments is over, thanks to the liberalization of the broadcast industry.
Before the liberalization of the industry, there were a few government owned stations leaving listeners and viewers at the mercy of government propagandists.
There have been at least 10 coup d’etat, the unconstitutional and violent overthrow of incumbent governments in Nigeria and all were announced through the broadcast stations.
There has been however unprecedented growth and monumental development in the broadcast media since the deregulation of the industry ironically by the military regime led by Gen. Ibrahim Babaginda.
Aliyu said that with the liberalization of the industry and federalism, the use of broadcast stations to overthrow governments has gone for good.
“If anybody uses his radio station to overthrow government in one part of the country, it can be discountenanced on the radio from other parts of the nation.” he said
The governor spoke while declaring open the newly established Diamond Radio FM 101.1 of the University of Ibadan at the Media Centre of the institution.
The governor said that for Nigeria to truly realise the potentials of radio as the most powerful organ among the various media of mass communication, the NBC should relax the measures put in place against establishment of radio stations.
According to Governor Aliyu, the broadcasting regulatory authority should continue to relax its rules and regulations so as to give room for more radio stations in the country.
Use of Radio for Coup d’Etat Old Fashioned- Aliyu
