By Adadareporters
The Signature Television debuting in Enugu ‘soonest’ will champion the South-East story perspectives, showcase the region’s intellectuals and identify talented students for nurturing and employment.
The founder of the television, Mr Obiora Ilo, stated this in Enugu during the Dream 92.5fm’s Political Voices. Ilo, a veteran broadcaster, said it was unfortunate that the region ‘is far behind Lagos and Abuja in terms of television presence’. According to him, Signature TV will fill the gap.
Quoting him, “We have not realised the need for our own media as South-easterners. It is not about coming together to own one, but lining up behind our own. The Yoruba do not have to come together to own one television station, but rather when one person takes the initiatives, governments and people of the region line up behind the concept. Television business is very expensive, and the nation’s economy and banking system make things more difficult. It makes obtaining loan facilities impossible. The media is a dollar-dominated business. I encourage South-East governments, businesses and individuals to support media entrepreneurs in the region. Nobody tells your story better than you can do.”
He said the television station would showcase scholars, talents, ingenuities and discover students with passion for journalism, nurture them and reserve jobs for them upon graduation.
In his words, “Scholars in the South East seem inferior to their counterparts in Lagos and Abuja because these other ones have access to national TVs. Lecturers are easily featured on national television programmes for those working in Abuja and Lagos, while our own here do not have access to be seen because the facilities are not in Enugu. We will use lecturers in South-East tertiary institutions for analyses on local, national and international issues. The same applies to our musicians, business start-ups and other people that excel in their respective endeavours. We are aware of the challenges therein. It will be the people’s television. The door is open. We shall identify journalism students, guide them properly and keep jobs for them after their graduation.”
Meanwhile, Mr Ilo has been commended for embarking on the television venture aimed at giving voices to the people of the South East.
The member representing Isi-Uzo/Enugu East Federal Constituency in the National Assembly, Prof Paul Nnamchi, said, “VinMartin Ilo is a man with a heart of gold. It’s high time that we had our own television stations. You don’t allow other people to tell your stories. If you don’t say where you are, no one will know your position. This station will make us present our own stories from our perspectives. It is a rare privilege to tell the South-East news to the world using our perspectives.”
Dr Uchenna Anioke, broadcaster, author and publisher, said, “Ndigbo should think home in the spirit of Aku ruo uno. It is unfortunate that for our people to talk, they must go to Abuja or Lagos, with the cost and risk attendant to such trips. We still need more of such, because the more the merrier. We must commend our professionals who are determined to tell our stories.”
Dr Luke Mgbo, who also spoke on the matter, said, “We have people who have the resources, but the Igbo economic sense makes it seem that we don’t go after long term investments. Media requires patience before gains begin to come in. But our people won’t have the patience. It is not a short-term investment.”
