No it is not the ever golden "Pata Pata". The song was sang in an African language. The use to play it always on RN2. One of their female presenters then also had it as her signature tune whenever she wants to come on air. This song was being played then on RN2 around 1986 to like 1990. Maybe the lady that sang the song could even be from West Africa but I just can't remember again, so I need a great mind like you to help out on this one.
In the 1990s they started playing "Emlanjeni by Mafikizolo", another great song!
Ventura1: Chai! and you omitted Gbenga Adeboye in OGBC 2
Taiwo Akinsola omo baba woli ni ilasa This slime egba guy Murphy Most of Gbenga Adeboye crew. Baba amoye program Awoko pade ega Oge gele Sikiru Alimi Etc
What about from RayPower FM then:- Hellen Bassey, Toun Oni, Yemi Adenuga, Orji Onazi, Helen Nwoko, remember Jumobi Adegbesan's signature tune was Whitney Houston's - I'm Every Woman (acapella version). Programmes like Straight From The Heart, Rick Dees Weekly Top 40, Jazz with Bisade Ologunde.
Oh my God! Time flies and I am missing Naija badly
carl90: Wow ! Awesome thread 👍 I am a radio head ,grew up listening to the radio. Rhythm Fm's JAJ "seven at seven " music show , Ray power Fm's presenters , Cool Fm's presenters like Dan Foster (God rest his soul),Manny ,... Trust me. A comment section on an online public forum is not enough to detail my radio experience in Nigeria.
My brother, I am like you too. I remembered waking up to prepare for school. While having breakfast, my dad tunes in to Radio Nigeria SW network broadcasting from Ibadan at 7am for the Radio Nigeria network news. News presenters like Zachari Mohammed, to Godwin Asuquo, to Treasure Durodola, etc were daily radio names then.
Later on at 9am, it's Police Dairy. On Saturday I don't miss Radio link at 9am. I really enjoyed those days. I would basically need a novel to show the experience. Radio would always be relevant. I don't see social media replacing the Radio . It will always be a relevant media.
Before Rhythm there is star FM MITV Radio station 101.5MHZ With the Man who made Local parable in English and playing jamz. FFF Femi Felix Fashina The Dean of old school. Morning show and Wednesday night jamz
You very right. It was the radio station of murhi international. There was this DJ Lexy that played on that station on Saturday nights.
I so much miss Stranger and the late Tosyn Bucknor. They were the live wire of Top Radio. Top Radio is now a shadow of itself except for the sports program of Godwin and his gangs.
First there were many MW stations, none of which was able to really capture my attention. We had Radio Lagos, RCOS, B.C.O.S/Radio O.Y.O, Ogun Radio/OGBC and of course the king of them all Radio Nigeria 1 (1089). Radio Nigeria 1 was the first place to go to for the 7am news and whenever there was a coup.
RN2
Then came the glorious Radio Nigeria 2 (RN2). RN2 played great music and they had superstar presenters. It was the first FM station in Lagos. I paticularly enjoyed listening to the station in the afternoons and at weekends. RN 1 catered to the older folks, while RN2 was the new exciting station for the younger folks (these roles were replicated on tv, with NTA Ch 10 being for the older folks and NTA 2 Ch 5 for the younger folks).
RN 2 had superstars like
(Your Willing Willy) Willy Egbe Sunny Irabor (JAJ) Joseph Akinyemi Johnson Ohi Alegbe Jones Usen Ihria Enakhimo (one of the funniest human beings on tv and radio) (Bonny with the face) Boniface Onogwu Godwin Asuquo Momoh Kubanje Tony Ibegbuna (he was the voice of the station when it started. It seemed like he did all their jingles).
And many more. There were shows like Willy Brunch, Sunny Side Up, Martin Street Special (before the Martin Street studios burnt down), Police Diary, I Beg Una, etc.
Radio Nigeria One later caught my attention with a beautiful breakfast show called Radioscope. In the years that I was hooked on that show (1988-1993) it was hosted at various times by Zachary Mohammed (Captain ZM), Manny Onumonu and Evelyn Russel.
Radio Nigeria Three was set up in 1989 (it was the first community radio station in Nigeria and broadcast in pidgin, igbo yoruba and hausa) and I often listened to them in the evenings.
RN2 is now known as Metro FM, RN3 is now known as Country Radio and RN1 moved from MW to FM and is now known as Radio One.
OGBC 2 Then came the Ogun State Broadcasting Corporation's second station (OGBC2), the second FM station that could be received in Lagos. It blew RN2 out of the water. It was lightyears ahead of its elder sister OGBC (which transmitted on the MW band). It had great presenters like
Ladi Akeredolu-Ale Larry Ichiejile Olusesan Ekisola Aderinsola Aladeselu Peter Okodua Busayo Olaifa Toyin Shogbesan. Ambrose Shomide Toba Opaleye
Its breakfast show, which included Headliners (newspaper review) and Bournvita Sports Special with Larry Ichiejile/Izamuje was second to none. It rode on the wave of the golden age of hip hop by playing all the latest hip hop tracks that people wanted to hear.
It was one of the key sources of information during the June 12 movement. People got anti-government news from OGBC2, The Punch, The Concord, etc; pro-government news from the NTA, Radio Nigeria, Daily Times and New Nigerian and impartial news from The Guardian and The BBC. Then the government shut down OGBC temporarily.
Raypower The very first private radio station actually began broadcasting without permission from government. The station debuted sometime in the middle of the year (broadcasting on 100MHz), then they were ordered to shut down by the NBC, then they legally started transmission towards the end of the year on 100.5MHz.
It virtually wiped out OGBC and RN2 from the airwaves. They were broadcasting from Alagbado, but they had a relay station on Bookshop House in Marina, thus their signal was clearer across Lagos than OGBC and RN2's signals. They poached a lot of talent from OGBC and Radio Nigeria. People like Ambrose Shomide and Momoh Kubanje joined the station. They had presenters like
Olusesan Ekisola (the first General Manager of Raypower, he was poached from OGBC). Steve "The Sleek" Kadiri. Dennis Tha Menace Ogi Ogee Onazi. Sule "Solazo" Ellams Becky Ellams Lola "L Boogie" Mogaji Ibiyemi Olufowobi Busola Faiga Doe Abrahams Tony Akiotu Jumobi Adegbesan
They had Milo World Of Sports (which attempted to compete against Larry's Bournvita Sports Special on OGBC), Newspaper Headline Review, Jukebox (with Olusesan Ekishola), Rock Radio (with Dennis Da Menace Ogi), Doe Abraham's calypso show, etc. They also collaborated with The BBC and broadcast Sports Round Up, Sports World, News Hour, etc. It ruled the airwaves for much of the Abacha/June 12 crisis era and people depended on their news for information about what was going on.
Rhythm
And the Murray-Bruces finally floated a radio station. Their selling point was "More music, less talk" and they won people over by playing mainstream music that people liked (hip hop, R&B and soul). Rhythm has endured and has remained one of my top two favourite stations since 1997. They've had presenters like
Femi Sowoolu (formerly of OGBC) JAJ (formerly of RN2). Eldee The Don. Steve (the South African) Naphtali Tope Brown (Brown Sugar) Nnamdi Anazia Kemistry
And more recently
(The Wildchild) I.K Osakiodua Phoenix (Big Time) Onome Oyaide
At breakfast time I would often switch between the sports, newspaper review and news programmes on OGBC2, Raypower and Rhythm, before OGBC2's quality and signal strength depreciated.
Cool FM
Between 1998-2010 Cool FM had undoubtedly the best collection of nigerian on air personalities in one radio station that I have ever heard. The only radio station that has had anything like that (and they are a distant second) is Radio Nigeria 2 (in the early 1980s).
They had amazing presenters like
1) Lakeside (Lekan Saheed). He was definitely my favourite. The guy was INSANE!
2) Iyke The G (nobody else plays the kind of music that he plays. It's almost like he reads my mind).
3) Dan Foster (the Big Dawg. He has an unusual ability to connect with his listeners).
4) Kemi Adetiba (amazing impersonations).
5) Gbemi Olateru-Olagbegi
6) Olisa Adibua (yes, the same guy that hosted "Top Of The Pops" on NTA2 Channel 5 c1988-1992)
7) Dare Art-Alade
8 ) Tosyn Bucknor (she also co-hosted the crazy Fanta show with Lakeside).
9) Mark Silvere (an american that first presented the Good Morning Nigeria Show. He also had the ability to connect with his listeners [he often prayed for them on air]. Made a good team with Dan Foster).
10) Keith Lane. The very first voice I heard on Cool FM (on the day they started transmitting). This guy is the definition of insane! He introduced "Radio Grafitti" to Cool FM and it hasn't been the same without him (no one has his level of insanity). His first stint at Cool FM ended when he complained about a decision that management were about to make and invited listeners to call in and talk about it. He was brought back several years later, after Dan Foster left the station, but listeners hated him because they kept comparing him to Dan (Dan is nice and friendly, while Keith is irreverent and insane).
11) Charles Supo Orija (the king of news).
They also ran the Bournvite Sports Special with Larry Izamuje for a while (at first it was networked with OGBC2, then it was exclusively on Cool FM) and also had Sports Express with the Sportsvision crew.
Now I just shuffle between Rhythm, NigeriaInfo and Classic FM. No radio station is particularly dominant or strong enough to get my attention exclusively. Raypower lost the right to use their relay station, so their signal isn't particulalrly strong and they also lost a lot of their best presenters. The 2010 tsunami also saw Cool FM losing their best presenters and I don't listen to them anymore. OGBC2 and RN2 (now known as Metro FM) are shadows of their former selves.
Picture 1: Sunny Irabor
Picture 2: Joseph Akinyemi Johnson (JAJ)
Picture 3: Jumobi Adegbesan and Dennis Da Menace Ogi
Picture 4: Dan Foster
Please, publish it as a book! This is important for the benefit of the history of the broadcasting industry and library for posterity.
carl90: Wow ! Awesome thread 👍 I am a radio head ,grew up listening to the radio. Rhythm Fm's JAJ "seven at seven " music show , Ray power Fm's presenters , Cool Fm's presenters like Dan Foster (God rest his soul),Manny ,... Trust me. A comment section on an online public forum is not enough to detail my radio experience in Nigeria. I would basically need a novel to show the experience. Radio would always be relevant. I don't see social media replacing the Radio . It will always be a relevant media.
They say Radio is the theater of the mind . I got to start listening more to the radio while I was in secondary . After we are done with the family radio, I will turn on my battery powered radio and listen all through the night. I was warned several times of the dame the earpiece could do to the ear if I sleep with it, I couldn't listen because of the love I had for radio @naptu2. You didn't mention shows like Cruise control , Metro Fm, hosted by Frank Edoho afterwhich Kamala took over.. it starts airing by 7 to 9. The music people always request for is so so soothing . Even the show's theme song, Sunset Island by Earl Klugh is one I still listen to many times to ease off. Metro fm also has Doris Okafor that anchors the show, Rock City. I will like to see what Doris looks likes frankly , she was lovely with what she does .
I think it is Metro Fm that has this program called Straight from the heart .I will so so love to have this show back on air. It is a show where heart touching stori3s are read and backed up with music that pertains to whatever keywords that were being read at that time. It airs at night .
Rhythm fm with Shola Thomson. That guy with the fluid smooth voice.
I then got to like Cool fm. Early 2000s they came with weekly Top 40 . Presenters like Manny, Daddy freeze, Gbemi Olateju,
Night radios are the best! After the days work. You come back home, relax and listen to the radio while it soothens your soul. Even the conversations and talk shows are just top notch. Midnight radios are even better.
Honestly, I am not feeling today's radio as I use to. I couldn't go a day without radio then. Now, I try to listen to my car radio and all I hear aren't interesting or worthy of my attention. Only time these our modern radio stations get interesting are during the Elections.
The best graded radio station in the whole Nigeria is Cross River radio Calabar, in the 70s, 80s and early 90s They have the best curated music for every hour. Don't argue unless you re 60 years of age.
Any list without Gbenga Adeboye(Alabefe Funwontan, Jengbetiele, Itu baba ita oko Rafa to na Cotonou) is a counterfeit. He was the most complete radio presenter in Nigeria then. And no one come close to him
Ibiyinka90: Any list without Gbenga Adeboye(Alabefe Funwontan, Jengbetiele, Itu baba ita oko Rafa to na Cotonou) is a counterfeit. He was the most complete radio presenter in Nigeria then. And no one come close to him
They say Radio is the theater of the mind . I got to start listening more to the radio while I was in secondary . After we are done with the family radio, I will turn on my battery powered radio and listen all through the night. I was warned several times of the dame the earpiece could do to the ear if I sleep with it, I couldn't listen because of the love I had for radio @naptu2. You didn't mention shows like Cruise control , Metro Fm, hosted by Frank Edoho afterwhich Kamala took over.. it starts airing by 7 to 9. The music people always request for is so so soothing . Even the show's theme song, Sunset Island by Earl Klugh is one I still listen to many times to ease off. Metro fm also has Doris Okafor that anchors the show, Rock City. I will like to see what Doris looks likes frankly , she was lovely with what she does .
I think it is Metro Fm that has this program called Straight from the heart .I will so so love to have this show back on air. It is a show where heart touching stori3s are read and backed up with music that pertains to whatever keywords that were being read at that time. It airs at night .
Rhythm fm with Shola Thomson. That guy with the fluid smooth voice.
I then got to like Cool fm. Early 2000s they came with weekly Top 40 . Presenters like Manny, Daddy freeze, Gbemi Olateju,
Night radios are the best! After the days work. You come back home, relax and listen to the radio while it soothens your soul. Even the conversations and talk shows are just top notch. Midnight radios are even better.
Honestly, I am not feeling today's radio as I use to. I couldn't go a day without radio then. Now, I try to listen to my car radio and all I hear aren't interesting or worthy of my attention. Only time these our modern radio stations get interesting are during the Elections.
This is for those who don't know "Earl Klugh". Kindly listen to his great album here "Soda Fountain Shuffle". I so love this album die! I still listen to the whole album on my iPhone.
Before Rhythm there is star FM MITV Radio station 101.5MHZ With the Man who made Local parable in English and playing jamz. FFF Femi Felix Fashina The Dean of old school. Morning show and Wednesday night jamz
Yeah Star fm. With one comedy Saturday show. I think the host was Sulaimon adegbenro or so. The consoligbadun man. He would speak in English, hausa, youruba and igbo.
I think It isn't Sulaimon, it is one name that has Akin in it
Don't ever sleep on Benson Idonije. I believe he presented an evergreen music show on Radio Nigeria 2 around 1988-1989. I used to love that show back then. It was much later I learnt he was one of the early managers of Fela the Abami Eda himself. I guess that says a lot about Mr. Idonije.
Ray power and OGBC2 changed radio broadcasting, especially among the youth...... How can one forget Friday Jam with Ken Ken Ogungbe, Olusesan Ekiiisooolaaa.......Larry Izamuje (Echejile).......
ManOfSon: Don't ever sleep on Benson Idonije. I believe he presented an evergreen music show on Radio Nigeria 2 around 1988-1989. I used to love that show back then. It was much later I learnt he was one of the early managers of Fela the Abami Eda himself. I guess that says a lot about Mr. Idonije.
He presented a jazz show on Radio Nigeria in the 1980s. He later also presented a high life show.
He has also presented highlife shows on Cool FM and Classic FM.
