By ABDULLAHI RABIU, Kano
What is your name.?
My names are Sa’a Ibrahim,
What position are you holding presently? I am the Director General, Abubakar Rimi Television, a state owned TV station
Besides, you are the outgoing Chairman BON. ?
Yes I was elected the Chairman of Broadcasting Organization of Nigeria (BON) during the 72nd General Assembly/ 18th Annual General Meeting held on October 23, 2019 at TVC Premises, 1, Continental Way, Off CMD Road, Ikosi, Ketu, Lagos State.
It is on record that you are the first female to occupy that sensitive post.?
It is true that I am the first female Chairman since the inception of BON in 1988. (31 years ago). I was the North West Zonal Chairman of BON before elected as the Vice Chairman between January 1, 2017 and December 31st, 2018.i
Where where born bred ?
I was born and bred in Kano state on the 18th April, 1960 at Magashi quarters in Gwale Local Government area of the State.
Can you tell us which Schools you have attended ?
I attended Kofar Kudu Primary School between 1966-1973, then I proceeded to Government Secondary School, Dala Kano State from 1973-1978.
I also advanced my educational career to School of Preliminary Studies now College of Arts, Science and Remedial Studies, (CAS) Kano from 1979-1980.
I later proceeded to University of Sokoto from 1980-1984 where I obtained a B.sc in Political Science degree and I did my NYSC. in Kaduna state and because I have not encountered any academic break, I advanced to Bayero University Kano where I acquired my Masters degree in Public Relations.
Three years after my graduation, I look for job at the Triumph Publishing Company but because they were downsizing, some one asked me to checked Radio Kano and paradventure luck was by my side. And I was eventually engaged as a producer .
I developed my career after a year or so I was asked to go and read Professional course at University of Jos where I read an advanced Diploma in Radio Production.
Immidiatly after that, I think two years into my Career there was another opportunity for me to go to voice of Germany. I was recommended for that and luckly enough you know going to Europe was a big deal then. It is not like now where one can just pick his bag and go and come back within a Week.
Going to Europe was a seriouse thing that people valued it much and I had to go and conviced my Parents before because I was not married then and I luckily enough my father agreed to the request and I was allowed to go to.Germany .
I had two years stint and came back in between and then went back to Germany again that was where I met my husband incidentally we got married.
He came back to Nigeria and left me behind he was ahead of me and when I finished with my contract also I later came back home and my work continued at Radio Kano .
However, some where in the 90s there was a some kind of re -shufflement because Radio Kano and CTV were under one Umbrella . So I was deployed to the Television . I served there for some years and transfered back to my working place at Radio Kano again.
After serving for years the immidiate past governor of Kano state Dr Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso first apointed me as the Managing Director ARTV. In 2014.
After serving for over a year and some months, there was an election that eventually brought the present Governor of Kano state Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje who in his wisdom decided to retained me in similar capacity.
All along I was working as a career Civil Servant before my tenure expired after serving for good Eight years as a Director which prompted me to put in my paper and went for early retirement .
It was Dr Ganduje again in his wisdom that re appointed me in same capacity and upgraded me to the level of a Director General since then I am here and pushing in a nutshell that’s my history.
What are the challenges you encountered in the course of discharging your duties as a DG of the state Television?
Infact I met so many challenges because when I came on board the TV Station had gone down . It was disconnected from the National Grid and so the operational hours was only four hours per day. And after Network News they all closed down that was how I met the station
There were few programs and the only consistent program was the News because of the challenge of power the Staff could not do much the Staff even if they were willing to do the job they can’t performed due to lack of enough power supply and that was challenging . although by nature I always like to be challenged .
I quickly invited some good hands from Radio Kano where I came from and together with some experienced Staff of ARTV who were willing to work but the situation did not allow them to work because of absolute equipment they were using the VHS as a recording device and a Computer for Editing. Which too sluggish for a successful operation.
Alot of things were in bad shape for the Staff to put in their best that was what prompted me to write formally to the government my requirements for the take off and I was granted and that really helped . Within Six Weeks of my taking over the Station was upgraded to a certain level .
We purchased some Equipment locally and ordered some from abroad and luckily I was a programme person because when i was in Radio Kano I worked at the Program department so with the help of my Staff that accompanied me from there we came up with line up programmes .
I came with my system I came up with a number of programme Proposals and I said look come and picked what you can do and less go to work and by the time we are in here we were already negotiating with Startmes to bless the station on that platform and since then it has been progress and success all the way.
There were alot of challenges you know because it is a government Media we are not profit oriented and so there was alot of stress and lack of enough capital to do the needful .
The advertising revenue was getting down all the time it has nosdived . So for a number of reasons you know because we are witnessing the influx of broadcasting stations every day there is a new Radio station or TV station coming up there on line medium so the advertising revenue is really stiff you have to be on top of the game to survived .
What will you say partaining to the changes in the way things were been done when you joined the Civil Service?
It is a very sad development the situation everyday is getting worse because in our time we come to work very early, we have our schedules infact we pursue our schedules you don’t need anybody to tell you what to do . You are quite aware that you must go on air by so so time and each qouta you must think of what to do or what you want to do and the rest.
Ironically today young men and women employees don’t want to work despite the fact that the work is not forthcoming. The management Staff are always punctual they report to the office earlier than the Junior Staff the Senior Staff must have to wait for hours before their arrival and that was affecting productivity. Sometimes they would stay Seven without reporting to the office with the flimsy excuse that they are down with Malaria .
What are the challenges facing the Conventional Media today?
The problems facing the Media today are enormous you know you sometimes need to acquire Data before you can operate and if you refused you will remain where you are .
Today we have online Newspapers, we have online Tv and numerous online Radio Stations all over any business is online and if you chose to do business as usual you will not survived.
Here I will like to advice the government to train their Staff on new ways of doing things differently so as to catch up with the emerging trend in the workd because we are in a competitive Market now. Unfortunately every one has become a journalist that is the reason here in ARTV I insist that we must invest in content to attract Eye ball because it is the Eye ball that will translate into money
Besides, all these, what role have you played in Social Mobilization under UNICEF ?
I played a great role in Social Mobilization Technical Committee in charge of Ten (10) States under UNICEF in Bauchi, from 1998 to 2002.
She was also a Media focal lead for Kano state Social Mobilization Committee, that provide technical assistance and support to the planning , Review, Monitoring and documentation of polio Eradication and other Public Health Communication Activities in the State. July 2002.
She worked as the anchor person in production and broadcast of special Radio Programs with care givers, policy makers such as commissioners of Health, Traditional Leaders, Opinion Leaders and Members of the Council of Ulama on Key Health Policy and Public Health issues. August 2008.
She was part of production of Radio programme on the importance of exclusive breastfeeding, growth monitoring and recognition of referral illnesses. January- 2010- on going.
She also produced and presented programme on micro nutrient deficiency control and recognition of fortified foods on Vitamin A, Iron and Zinc. April- Augusts 2008.
Produced and presented Radio and Television series on promotion of safe hygiene practice through hand washing campaign with the title Tsafta Cikon Addini. August – December 2009.
She works as the UNICEF Desk Officer in the state , and have accumulated wealth of experience in planning, implementing and monitoring of community based approaches and interventions in improving uptake of polio / Routine immunization and improved maternal / infant nutrition in Rural Communities in Kano State; 2002- to date.
She Supported the Conduct of baseline survey in collaboration with UNICEF and subsequently establishment of day care – centers for skill acquisition and growth monitoring of children in Faruruwa Community of Takai Loacal Government in Kano State 2005.
She also supported the Planning, design and Implementation of Media Communication and Mobilization activities to facilitate participation of stakeholders, NGOs, CBOs, and Communities in Public Health Interventions and Health Policies. 2006She is a Member of the Safe Motherhood Committee in the State,
Interestingly, she supported the development of media activities, including songs for recognition of danger sings and ultimately mobilization of the Public in their role in intervention and Health Policies.2006.
She work closely with SMOH and Partner Agencies to Plan, Monitor, and Evaluate Impact of Radio Programs for specific Health issues/ interventions in the state. 2009.
Likewise she provide operational support to the implementing agencies and individuals for the ASK Nigeriain Kano State,Process in keeping to YM Contractual requirements for funds disbursal and retirement.
She Coordinated the various activities of ASK Nigeria process with support from the BCC officer, SHCG and
PATH2 Output 5 team at HQ.Supervise and monitor the activities being carried out by selected NGOS, Media Broadcast partners and individual consultants in Kano State.
In conclusion I will like to advice the federal government to ensure that it check the influx of on line Media Organisations so as to bring sanity in their Mudus operandi.
