Dr Christopher Kolade’s passing signals the end of an era in Nigerian broadcasting — a man of class, composure, dignity, decorum, respectable and distinguished in every way, and unforgettable in the service of the nation
“The next time you ‘be’ it, you will be out of here”
THAT was the stern warning from Christopher Kolade to Jones Usen when he was caught mispronouncing the word Beethoven on a Sunday morning while on continuity at the BH many years back.”
I regret that I cannot capture the tear-inducing laughter that this encounter the veteran broadcaster, Mr Jones Usen had with this iconic figure, who then went on to replicate his administrative excellence in different sectors in Nigeria — in Cadbury and as Nigerian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom.
There are many stories about this legend in Nigerian broadcasting, stories that reflect the awe he inspired and the reverence he commanded.
He had long since left Radio Nigeria after a sterling career, rising to become the Director-General and subsequently maintaining a dignified distance. Yet I have my own stories about this almost mythical man in the long history of broadcasting in Nigeria.
He taught us Ethics during my Certificate Course in Media Enterprise at the School of Media and Communication at the Pan-Atlantic University back in V/Island, in 2008.
Once, the late radio producer, Tony Ogbuagu, chose me to interview him at his office in the building housing the CMS Bookshop, about his time at FRCN.
One day, a young lady invited me to a church to speak at a youth event. Dr Christopher was also speaking to a group of about 100 attendees. He is a lesson in humility.
I was there when the former Director of Lagos Operations, FRCN, Dr Ike Okere, named a building after this colossus during his tenure as Director of the FRCN’s Broadcast Academy.
Many more tributes and stories of this legend will flood social media in the coming days, as we all come to terms with his passing.
A worthy custodian of ethics, he discipled the iconic names in broadcasting today, who in turn passed on the discipline to subsequent generations.
From Atilade Atoyebi, Tolu Fatoyinbo, Princess Banke Ademola, Madam Regina, Boma Kalaiwo, Ilemi Okoka, and others who supervised my own generation: Cordelia Okpe, Frank Edoho, Charles Anazodo and many more.
My more senior colleagues will no doubt do a better job of tracing that lineage than I have here.
In his time, no one made a spectacle of disrespecting a guest as an excuse for telling a story. You wouldn’t dare. Yet there were corrupt politicians back then.
There is a difference between being a militant, an advocate, and a broadcaster. There is even greater difference between being a thug, a hooligan, and being outrightly crass in the chase for clout, clicks, and validation from a mob looking for a hero to help abuse the political class.
Dr Christopher Kolade’s passing signals the end of an era in Nigerian broadcasting — a man of class, composure, dignity, decorum, respectable and distinguished in every way, and unforgettable in the service of the nation.
May his illustrious soul rest in peace.
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