i know very well that I ’ m one of the last five
people who still watch NTA in this world . If you
doubt me , tell me when last did you sit to watch
the station for three straight hours ? Trust me , it’ s
not because I love what they do …perhaps it’ s
because old habits die hard . I grew up like many
of my generation, watching NTA being the
inspiration in some ways. But as at today , I think
it’ ll be a good idea to switch NTA off perhaps for
one year … because it is such a bad sell inside the
country and worst of all , a terrible export for us
( Not to worry, I do want the staff to be paid to
save families and avoid some third mainland
inspired moments ) .
Quite honestly, as a broadcaster and broadcast
manager, I don ’ t think you need more than one
quadrant of your brain to fix NTA within a two-
year plan and make it the most - watched channel
once again . So tonight , while working, I sat and
ended up with NTA news , then some show with
Al Mustapha on called then some show by Aliyu
Baba Barau called “ Moment for Thought” . I think
everyone in NTA should be mandated ( like they
say to all NTA stations when expecting them to
hook up to the network service ) to watch the
show . Sadly not for the content, but for the title.
They really need a moment for thought!
As if that was not enough, then came one “ funny
show ” by our legend, Segun Odegbami ( I
preferred his shows on Saturday morning back in
the early 90 s) . I love the man and he is a national
treasure, I will skip.
It hurts to see the “ potential ” goldmine that NTA
is, and how the talents it can help develop in our
nation going to waste . How can you have over 40
channels and physical stations and not have
content competing with or surpassing the BBC?
How can you have a country of 190 million
potential content providers, viewers and more and
yet have your name not on the front row of all
the major global TV content events?
How on earth do you inspire some of who have
gone ahead to do so well in stations around the
world , birth great broadcasters , a great chunk of
the pioneers of Nollywood and then leave them
out in the cold and now look like you were barren
all your life ?
Does the minister of information even make up
that list of five people watching NTA with me ?
Does the acting President at least put up an “ act ”
and try to watch NTA? I won ’ t mention the
president, so it doesn’ t become a political
conversation!
Perhaps the next I will be watching NTA would
be when my aunt in Kaduna calls to tell me to
watch because the NTA team came to their
church and they ’ re going to air the programme at
9pm. Anyhow , let me just stop my “vex ” and do
what we all thankfully can do ( sadly at the
expense of NTA ) …change the channel . Someday , I
hope in changing channels, I will be flipping to
stop at an NTA channel due to some world - class
offering which I am hopeful will come again . But
until then …I can do with some #soundcitytv
#trybetv #spicetv #ontv or just “ kuku ” switch off
the TV and turn on “man ’ s most faithful
companion ”… the radio !
Meanwhile, whoever is in charge of NTA, my two
cents is that they should not waste any more of
tax payers money in buying diesel to fuel all those
“NTA ” stations . That ship, the one filled with
eager viewers appears to have sailed on to better
‘ waters’ of better picture , better sound , neutral
reporting , great series, documentaries and
thought engaging game shows.
And what’ s this I hear about 30 ( or is it 60
million?) people watching NTA? Someone needs to
change the information to “ 30/60 million people
‘ used to ’ watch NTA . Remember , we are only five
people still left , please . ”
James Jonathan Lyamgohn
Abuja.

stellx:
Seriously speaking, the government is bent on impoverishing the NTA in content and ingenuity die to its imposition of demented northern elements whose only credentials to such office is "hegemonic affiliation".
My husband is an ardent viewer of the NTA news @ 9pm and Tuesday live with Ceril Stober and is biological wired to tune in much to my chagrin though.