By Charles Okogene
He was about the youngest, if not the youngest voice, on radio; frequency modulated band (FM) in the 1990s. And he was heard loud and clear on RN2, Nigeria’s first and only FM station then; not now that FM stations are now as many as filling stations especially in Lagos.
The first time I heard of the song of that American musical group, Delegation, it was on his programme on RN2.
I am talking of Jacob Akinyemi-Johnson better known then and now as J. A.J, the same for Grammy Awards winning songs of Nigeria’s own Sade Adu ‘Sweetest Taboo. ‘
JAJ who, according to another of his contemporaries , Mr. Femi Sowolu, first introduced the acronym ,OAP, (on air personality) into broadcasting lexicon in Nigeria, made listening to the radio a delight the way the late Ernest Okonkwo and Tolu Fatoyibo made watching football match on television incomplete without a radio set handy. He was the bridge between the young generation OAPs then like Fred Oshodi, Kunle Oladapo ( RIP) Bode Seriki, Ike Aig Imoukhede, Seyi Martins (the only Martins in Martin Street) and Phil Ushie. He, however, in this online interview said “while my seniors were Willie Egbe ( RIP), Jones Usen and others and my mentors were Benson Idonije and Ikenna Ndaguba ( RIP). “
For J. A. J his Odyssey in the world of FM broadcasting started in 1979 straight from the famous Catholic Church owned St. Gregory’s College Obalende; he left the federal government owned station in 1997 to chart a new course as one of those that set up the station owned by ‘common sense’ senator, Ben Murray-Bruce. There, he head hunted the likes of Femi Sowo-Olu (OAP) Steve Kadiri( RIP) (OAP) Tope Brown ( RIP) ( OAP) among others.
Hear him tell the story of his highpoint in broadcast when asked.
“Many high points, including introducing the term ‘OAP’ (On-Air Personality) to the Nigerian broadcast landscape. Femi Sowoolu, a media consultant, acknowledged my contribution, tweeting in 2020, he said ‘he deserves to be eulogised for introducing the term ‘OAP’ into the Nigerian broadcast firmament. It was JAJ that first employed the moniker back in ’97.’
“But most notable was my assembling of the the highly successful Rhythm 93.7 pioneering team that took the industry by storm and changed the complexion of FM Radio broadcasting forever. The team included Femi Sowoolu (OAP), Steve Kadiri( RIP) ( OAP), Tope Brown ( RIP)( OAP), Momoh Kubanje ( RIP) ( news head),
Nnamdi Anazia (RIP) ( sports head),
Ogbuefi. Cliff Adigwe( RIP) ( engineering head), Alozie Uzoukwu ( Entertainment head) and DJ Waxzy (pioneering Rhythm FM DJ).”
J.A.J who is better known now as Meccadon was large and still except that FM broadcasting has almost gone to the ‘dogs. ‘
Leave a Reply