There is no doubt that in the time past, especially for those
who had the opportunity to own or see a TV in the 70's to early
90's when TV was for the elites, there was always this joy to
catch up with some of the programmes on air back then.
To the young chaps back then who got to know much of TV
during the mid to late 80's and most of the early 90's, the TV
experience then is of a nostalgic feeling now.
There is no doubt that the then generations and before confirm
that these present generations are getting mixed and watered
TV content and programming like a saccharined palm-wine.
In those days, especially in the early 70's, 80's and by
extension, 90's, TV programming were full of entertainment
and educating value fillings.
Though there were no 24hr TV broadcast at that time, but for
the period of six hours of TV operations, TV was truly fun for its
various viewers. One could remember like yesterday when by
4pm, viewers were first greeted with music for an hour with
the coloured strips adorning the TV.
By 5pm, the national anthem is played, and then cartoons
follows. This was almost the tradition during weekdays until
the 9pm network news on the Nigeria Television Authority
(NTA), which many parents don't miss for anything.
By that time, children were expected to have gone to bed or
just compulsorily listen to NTA network news, then the close of
TV broadcast by 10pm.
Taking a drive through the past, there is no doubt that
generations then always weep for the present generations for
what they have missed; good and educating TV programming.
How would one quickly forget The Village Headmaster, one
of Nigerian's longest TV drama series back then? The good
acting prowess of Oloja of Oja land played by Dejumo Lewis,
Gorimapa, Sisi Clara, Teacher Oghenem Councillor Balogun
and others that made this TV drama one of the best from
Nigeria.
How would one also forget Things Fall Apart of the Pete
Edochie (Okonkwo) fame? Also was The New Masquerade
which had the likes of Chief Zebrudaya alias 4:30, Ovloria,
Gringori, Clarus, the one and only Prince Jegede Sokoya and
his troublesome Apena (late Christy Essien) wife.
Another TV programme back then was Hotel De Jordan,
which had Idemudia, Kokori, late Sam Loco Efe. This
programme was back then the toast of the Benin people on
NTA Benin.
Other great programmes back then were Cock crow at
dawn, Mirror in the sun, Ripples, Behind the cloud, Adio
Family, Basi & Company, Second Chance, Samanja, Sura
the tailor, Koko close, Awada Kerikeri.
Also were Third Eye, Mind Bending, Pot of life, Magana
Jarice, Mind your language, Hammer House of Horror,
Soul Train, CI5 (The professionals), which was a British
detective TV drama series that featured our own veteran actor,
Olu Jacobs, and many others.
While the adults were busy enjoying the above TV
programmes, the kids at that time also had the cause to be
excited staying glued to TV when finally allowed to, as parents
then always lock their TV's with padlocks.
Programmes like Tales by Moon light, which was a reason
why most kids would always want to be at home by 6pm on
Sundays. Also was Sesame Street, Voltron, which was much
introduced by a test run pay TV in the early 90's
(Clapperboard).
Also was Rintinti (the police dog), how can one forget Dr
Who, this was also one the best TV programmes for the kids
back then before the Supermans, Tom and Jerrys of this
world took over.
The list of these good and great programmes is many.
Mentioning them only makes one sit and cry for the present
generation of kids who have now become something else due
to the adulterated TV contents they are now being exposed to.
The new TV content and trend is music and dance based,
which is filled with lots of degrading moral value fillings. What
mostly sell a TV content nowadays is X-rated contents. This is
eminent in our present music videos, Reality programmes, and
so on.
Though many have asked and wondered where we all got it
wrong from, but that still remains a puzzle yet to be unraveled.
The new generational kids have argued that those TV
programmes that wowed viewers in the past did so because
there was not much competition as we now have. Their point is
that back then; it was mainly the NTA and maybe, LTV that
were providing TV contents to Nigerians.
They have also argued that TV viewers back then were not
exposed to lots of distractions and technologies we now have.
Example is the internet that makes it possible to view
programmes from other lands, see X-rated materials online,
etc.
Also is the fact that, as some put, they are now highly exposed.
This some say that if those old programmes were done in this
present world, it would not pull much effect as they did back
then.
They believe that those TV programmes pulled those
attractions because those then were left with no choice of
other TV content to watch.
But how true is the fact that if Things Fall Apart, The New
Masquerade, Village headmaster and others were to be
originally be on TV now, they would not wow viewers of this
generation of TV viewers?
Where did we get it wrong? Was 24hrs TV programming and
the decentralization of TV in Nigeria a blessing or a curse?
www.nigeriafilms.com/news/15594/12/top-nigerian-tv-programmes-of-the-past-where-did-w.html

Sesame street, fraggle rock and super ted

Voltron.

doctor who

o ti pe gan

Tales by moonlight which we kids use to call tays ba mu lie

Op weting u de talk??
What of super story
Papa ajasco

snowprince07:
Op weting u de talk??
What of super story
Papa ajasco

we are not talking about indomie generation here.

Segeggs:
we are not talking about indomie generation here.

sorry I forgot u were talking about spargeti generation

CHECKMATE

I really loved BASSEY & COMPANY and HOUSE NO13...for cartoons: SCHMOO & BLUE FALCON n DOG WONDER.....good ol days.....Movies were cherished and talked about,especially when LTV8 came on board to rival NTA10 and NTA5....will never forget the Bruce lee movies.

Segeggs:
Voltron.

pls was d guy princess replaced,ever found? Coming from a father of two ,lol