Environment Unkempt, Staff Disillusioned
By Peter Uzoma.
In those good old days before the balkanization of the present Imo State which gave birth to Abia and Ebonyi States, Imo State Imo Broadcasting Corporation, Owerri, (IBC) was a toast of this part of the globe.
Being the only broadcast outfit standing tall then, Staff of IBC were always favoured by the public because of where they worked.
For instance, if you were an on air personality,( OAP) people wanted to make friends with you. Those who visited clubs those days had free drinks just because they worked in IBC.
Back then, IBC workers were paid early enough before other workers in the State. Every Landlord wanted an IBC Staff as a tenant because they paid their rents early.
Before internet became the in thing, an IBC field reporter was given an extra transport money as a plea for the Reporter to do a nice job as IBC had a wide reach then. Today the reach is nothing to write home about.
At functions or occasions people felicitated with an IBC Staff whenever he/she was introduced. IBC workers walked tall then but today you could be stoned if you pride yourself as IBC Staff in the public.
The funny thing these days is that if you are a young man and would want go in for marriage, you dare introduce yourself as an IBC else your would inlaws won’t welcome for fear that their daughter would be starved to death. It is as bad as that. If not for courtesy, this Paper would have mentioned a name here.
During the hey days of IBC, the broadcast outfit served as a training institute for other radio stations as neighbouring States like Rivers State sent their Staff for training because back then IBC had the broadcast magic east of the Niger. Indeed, it was then the real “clearest voice east of the Niger”. Unfortunately, that voice has now gone bad and now ” clearest voice east of the river Niger”.
Today IBC is dead and with apologies to the musician, Okukuseku, “everything don make yaamaa”.
Who did this to IBC? A whole government owned radio House in a dungeon. The place is so dirty and bushy that hunters can hunt for Elephants there. The building are dilapidated. The place has no labourers again to do the clean up.
The Corporation has no official vehicles and Staff mobility is a “malaria” of its own unlike those good old days when workers were picked from their houses and dropped back on signing off. Stories have been told of how Staff have severally been robbed as they trekked home after work. Some, most of whom are young mother/ladies, decide to sleep over howbeit most uncomfortably but for safety.
How can one expect the present day IBC to compete with over eighteen digital radio houses now in the State.
Most annoying is that administrations who own the outfit lavish millions of naira on other stations whenever they have live coverages thereby relegating their own outfit to the background.
Of recent IBC does not come up on air frequently again. If it is not thunder, it is power outage or transmitter wahala. Tufiakwa!, a whole IBC, the once pride of Imo State.
How can a radio house of repute operate with a rented transmitter? Is it not shameful to behold?
Few months ago thunder spoilt a hired transmitter which IBC pays the owner three hundred and fifty thousand naira monthly. The owner asked for money to repair it. He was given and after the said repairs took back his transmitter finally and bluntly refused to rent it out again.
Another “renter” was engaged, this time at four hundred thousand naira a month. Information reaching this Paper reveal that the owner of the transmitter is threatening to shut it down due indebtedness on the part of the Corporation.
Did you know that IBC news department now operates “paperless” because the Station cannot afford stationeries and biro. Staff of the department use their android phones or laptops to produce news? In most cases the stay in their houses to produce bulletins, send to the phones in the studio because of lack of transport fare it is as bad as that. The law of opportunity cost comes to play here. That money to be spent on transport could be to buy data and work in the house.
Who will provide the oxygen to resucitate IBC?. The supervising ministry does not care but its syphoning pipe is there. Indeed, IBC is now an orphan. The supervisory ministry hates it, the public that once loved it, now hates it with passion.
These days whenever IBC comes up on air know then there is “NEPA” otherwise no way. Atimes the Station comes up between 12.30-1pm if there are paid adverts. Once the adverts are decongested it goes off to return by 5pm, broadcast for some hours and close for the day.
A one time DG of IBC, Chief James Egbuchulam who came on a rescue mission was fought out because he petitioned the Governor telling him happenings in the place. Unfortunately, the petition was kidnapped on the way to the Governor’s hand. In return, unsubstantiated allegations were heaped on Chief Egbuchulam hence his untimely sack.
Staff welfare is nothing to write home about as many guest artistes have left due to none payment of their stipends. The working Staff cannot walk out like that but are praying for their retirement date to come today and tomorrow.
The Staff are owed and you don’t ask to be paid your salary otherwise you will be a victim like Barr Vivian Otti. IBC workers are simply suffering and smiling and government is aware but who will tell Governor Uzodinma as the reports from the supervisory ministry always tell him ” all correct Sir or is it all corrupt Sir”.
Though this piece is captioned “requiem for IBC”, a little oxygen can resuscitate it but who will bell the cat? Just hope the Governor sees this piece.
