Chief Raymond Anthony Aleogho Dokpesi (25 October 1951 – 29 May 2023) aged 71.
Chief Raymond Anthony Aleogho Dokpesi was born in Ibadan on the 25 October 1951 to the Dokpesi family from Agenebode, in Edo State
Educational career.
He started his western education at famous Loyola College, Ibadan. From there he joined the Immaculate Conception College (ICC) in Benin City where he was a pioneer member of Ozolua Play house, a dance/drama group. He did his undergraduate studies at the University of Benin Edo State and completed his studies at University of Gdansk, Poland where he earned his doctorate degree in Marine Engineering. His studies, from secondary school to university level, were sponsored by Alhaji Bamanga Tukur who was part of those that brought him back from Poland to head the Musa Yar’Adua/M.K.O Abiola’s African Ocean Line (AOL).
As a man who sees opportunity in every government policy, he was one of the first Nigerians to take the opportunity of media sector deregulation by the military government of IBB by venturing into private radio broadcast with the establishment of Raypower FM station in 1994.
In 1996, he launched Raypower’s sister station, African Independent Telelevision, which has been telling African story from African perspectives.
He was the organising committee chairman of the People’s Democratic Party national conference in 2015.
As an accomplished businessman, Dokpesi made his money as a marine engineer but became a celebrity via investment in the electronic media. Dokpesi who died on the 29 May 2023 (aged 71) is being recognised for his vision, boldness and dedication for creating a more diverse and inclusive media landscape, AIT and RAY Power that has helped in giving voice to the voiceless and hope to the hopeless and above all, telling the African story by Africans.
As a Son of the Niger Delta we are very proud of his sterling achievements in putting out positive ratings for our region, which had hitherto been known mostly for crimes like kidnapping, rape, despoliation, human trafficking.
