Campus radio is a social service
Malam Abubakar Sadiq
Loko is the Head of Department (HOD), Mass Communication, Federal Polytechnic
Nasarawa, Nasarawa state. In this chat with Uji Abdullahi Iliyasu, he explains the importance of a radio
station on the campuses of Nigerian higher institutions. Enjoy the excerpts.
Loko is the Head of Department (HOD), Mass Communication, Federal Polytechnic
Nasarawa, Nasarawa state. In this chat with Uji Abdullahi Iliyasu, he explains the importance of a radio
station on the campuses of Nigerian higher institutions. Enjoy the excerpts.
What inspired you to
establish campus radio?
establish campus radio?
Establishing campus radio is not a prerequisite, but if you
are training students to work in radio stations, there is need for you to have
a medium through which they will practicalise what they are learning. Campus
radio is almost everywhere on Nigerian campuses. If you go to the southern part
of the country, you will see that there is either a television station or radio
station on the campuses. Our own has been here for almost six years. Federal government
always wants to reach out to people in the rural communities. Nasarawa is an
agrarian community and we find that information is lacking in the community. So
we are going to use the medium to enlighten and educate the people.
are training students to work in radio stations, there is need for you to have
a medium through which they will practicalise what they are learning. Campus
radio is almost everywhere on Nigerian campuses. If you go to the southern part
of the country, you will see that there is either a television station or radio
station on the campuses. Our own has been here for almost six years. Federal government
always wants to reach out to people in the rural communities. Nasarawa is an
agrarian community and we find that information is lacking in the community. So
we are going to use the medium to enlighten and educate the people.
What is the source of
funding for your radio station?
funding for your radio station?
It is a community radio. The basis is for the students’
learning convenience. Federal government
gives subvention the school yearly, out of which the department will be given a
little. And out of the goodwill, we developed with people, like selling cards,
we finance our activities. We are not commercial oriented. We don’t advertise
products. Our target is to enlighten and educate people in our area. The
station is a practical model for Mass Communication students. These students
are to have firsthand knowledge and the basic techniques of a radio station. Thus
they will be well groomed and managed towards working successfully in media
houses after the completion of their course.
learning convenience. Federal government
gives subvention the school yearly, out of which the department will be given a
little. And out of the goodwill, we developed with people, like selling cards,
we finance our activities. We are not commercial oriented. We don’t advertise
products. Our target is to enlighten and educate people in our area. The
station is a practical model for Mass Communication students. These students
are to have firsthand knowledge and the basic techniques of a radio station. Thus
they will be well groomed and managed towards working successfully in media
houses after the completion of their course.
Are you the founder or
co-founder of the station?
co-founder of the station?
No. When Mass communication came up six years ago, we had
first pioneer lecturers. Our target was to reach the best. Tertiary Education
Trust Fund (tetFund) is the agency that makes provision for all the gadgets we
need to build the radio station. I told you earlier that the station is for
practical purposes. Then it is not out of place to use the medium to reach the
people in our catchment environment to get them to know about our activities in
the school. Like technological breakthrough. We have many programmess that
showcase our technological breakthroughs, our research findings and even
scientific developments. If we can tell
the whole world through this medium that this is what we have done and this is
the way we have done it, it will help us and the whole world.
first pioneer lecturers. Our target was to reach the best. Tertiary Education
Trust Fund (tetFund) is the agency that makes provision for all the gadgets we
need to build the radio station. I told you earlier that the station is for
practical purposes. Then it is not out of place to use the medium to reach the
people in our catchment environment to get them to know about our activities in
the school. Like technological breakthrough. We have many programmess that
showcase our technological breakthroughs, our research findings and even
scientific developments. If we can tell
the whole world through this medium that this is what we have done and this is
the way we have done it, it will help us and the whole world.
What do you have to say
about the rise in the award of first class degrees by universities?
about the rise in the award of first class degrees by universities?
It depends on how you look at it. In my own department, we
are battling with the problem of grooming best students. I don’t know where you
got your information. From my point of view, I think there is a drop in award
of first class degrees compared to the number of universities we have. We tried
to get outstanding students but we hardly get them. Thank God you see me marking students’
scripts. You can avail yourself of this opportunity and see their performance
by yourself, whether there is a rise or drop.
are battling with the problem of grooming best students. I don’t know where you
got your information. From my point of view, I think there is a drop in award
of first class degrees compared to the number of universities we have. We tried
to get outstanding students but we hardly get them. Thank God you see me marking students’
scripts. You can avail yourself of this opportunity and see their performance
by yourself, whether there is a rise or drop.
As HOD, do you see that
lecturers with higher grades perform better than those with lower grades?
lecturers with higher grades perform better than those with lower grades?
Sometimes lecturers who graduated with high grades from their
schools perform highly to justify their class, but sometimes lower grade
holders perform better than their colleagues who had been highly graded from
their schools. But here we are doing our best. It is a general phenomenon all
over the country.
schools perform highly to justify their class, but sometimes lower grade
holders perform better than their colleagues who had been highly graded from
their schools. But here we are doing our best. It is a general phenomenon all
over the country.
Is the standard of
education in Nigeria rising of falling?
education in Nigeria rising of falling?
The standard of education is rising, whether we like it or
not, this is the truth. Unless you are an educationist before you understand it.
We are climbing up. And I hope it will be better. Look at the percentage of
people who are in school. How many are in
school and how many are out of school? I went to primary school in the
seventies and how many of us were in the class. If you look at the percentage,
we may not be more than 20 or 24 in a class.
But today we have up to 100. If at 20 in class, 10 or 14 fell, and if out of 100
in a class, 60 pass and 40 fail, then we
are making progress. The percentage of
pass is higher than in the past. That is
my personal understanding. I don’t know the way you look at it. In terms of curriculum content, we are now
better than what obtained in the past. If you talk of the general fall in
education, it is the attitudinal imbalance of the people. People are not
serious and Want to cut corners to get to their destinations. It is just the
process if not we have active population who want to go with the trend in the
sector. That is why I love the federal government’s change mantra so much. If
we change our attitude and character, we can go places. Look at what our people
are doing in the world, go to foreign universities you will find that Nigerian
students are the best.
not, this is the truth. Unless you are an educationist before you understand it.
We are climbing up. And I hope it will be better. Look at the percentage of
people who are in school. How many are in
school and how many are out of school? I went to primary school in the
seventies and how many of us were in the class. If you look at the percentage,
we may not be more than 20 or 24 in a class.
But today we have up to 100. If at 20 in class, 10 or 14 fell, and if out of 100
in a class, 60 pass and 40 fail, then we
are making progress. The percentage of
pass is higher than in the past. That is
my personal understanding. I don’t know the way you look at it. In terms of curriculum content, we are now
better than what obtained in the past. If you talk of the general fall in
education, it is the attitudinal imbalance of the people. People are not
serious and Want to cut corners to get to their destinations. It is just the
process if not we have active population who want to go with the trend in the
sector. That is why I love the federal government’s change mantra so much. If
we change our attitude and character, we can go places. Look at what our people
are doing in the world, go to foreign universities you will find that Nigerian
students are the best.
Why are Nigerian
universities not among the first one 1000?
universities not among the first one 1000?
It all depends on our character. We are not doing the right
thing. It was not like this when you and I were in the primary school. We did it and got it good. But now our
generation is too corrupt and has polluted the system. But there is room to
return to the best.
thing. It was not like this when you and I were in the primary school. We did it and got it good. But now our
generation is too corrupt and has polluted the system. But there is room to
return to the best.
What do you say about the recent JAMB cut off mark?
Sincerely speaking, I would not like to say anything, but as a
sincere and pragmatic citizen, I don’t think lowering the cut-off mark is
right. But in another way, if we don’t give the candidates who sit for UTME
every year admission because of unreachable cut-off point, where do you want
them to go. So what is left is for us lecturers
and students to work to reach the level of acceptance. The starting point
doesn’t really matter, but the output. It is what lecturers impact in the
students that matter. I told my lecturers that, now that we are having students
who aren’t measuring up, we have to rise up to bring out the best in them, to
produce quality outputs. The onus is on
us the lecturers. We must cross the river.
sincere and pragmatic citizen, I don’t think lowering the cut-off mark is
right. But in another way, if we don’t give the candidates who sit for UTME
every year admission because of unreachable cut-off point, where do you want
them to go. So what is left is for us lecturers
and students to work to reach the level of acceptance. The starting point
doesn’t really matter, but the output. It is what lecturers impact in the
students that matter. I told my lecturers that, now that we are having students
who aren’t measuring up, we have to rise up to bring out the best in them, to
produce quality outputs. The onus is on
us the lecturers. We must cross the river.