AIT and the (UN) avoidable absentees
Yours truly was privileged to bear witness to the formal historic commissioning of the Abuja Broadcast complex of the Africa Independent Television (AIT) on Thursday, Nov 25, 2004 at the vintage Kpaduma Hill, Asokoro extension. I recall with the remarkable roll call of hundreds of well- wishers at this another bold private sector initiative by the multibillion Naira DAAR communication center. Attendance cut across the spectrum of politicians, legislators, private sector operators and diverse cultural groups the most distinguished being the host community of Gbagi people and their original dancers! Remarkably too labour was there in good number led by NLC President, Adams Oshiomhole solidarising with, not picketing AIT. It was as if labour was saying that the earlier postponement of the commissioning had nothing to do with its proposed strike over the fuel price increase.
Paradoxically, the invited chieftains of the Federal Executive who often inundate us with the cliché; private sector is the engine of growth and private/public sector partnership were unavoidably absent at this historic occasion! The MCs artfully downplayed the conspicuous absence of His Excellency, Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the Honorable Minister Chikelu (of Information and National Orientation) and the special Host, Mallam el-Rufai, Minister of FCT by commencing the commissioning almost unceremoniously.
But this singular effort at damage control only raised the noise level of the loud absence of the invited real federal government notables rather than concealing it. Indeed the absence (or was it a boycott?) of the Executive as far as a discernable reporter was concerned proved more newsworthy than the historic commissioning itself.
I later overheard the chairman, DAAR communications Ltd, Dr Dokpesi according to whom, contrary to official impression, DAAR nurtured no ambition of an imperial satellite outreach with its acknowledged legally conferred nation-wide coverage.
He bemoaned the harsh economic climate undermining the growth of communication industry tasking government to create level playing field, urgently improve on public service delivery (I guess he meant NEPA!) while upholding urging government to uphold the constitutional provisions with respect to the role of the media and information access. He took exception to the Official Secret Act which presently constraints information access.
Rear Admiral Aighbe eventually cut the red tape in the absence, not necessarily on behalf of the VP. In an unambiguous sermon he urged those in authority to patronize their corporate citizens and clearly brought to the fore the undercurrent of the undeclared official cold war, as it were, against AIT. The question is; whence the empire building of AIT that made its chairman so apologetic? Who could be complaining that information access is too global in a globalized world? In a uni-polar world in which information flow is top down and Western perspective hourly distorts African reality, how can an independent alternative voice for Africa like AIT be a liability rather than an asset to the officialdom? In the age of information explosion and its unbalanced splash, how can a complementary private effort be too much? Irredeemable public sector advocates like yours sincerely once wondered aloud about NEEDS’ over celebration of private sector as an engine of growth. To then be confronted with a prospect of any official animosity and even a boycott of a private sector initiative reinforces the growing charge of policy hypocrisy against the government.
It further puts to test the growing gap between policy rhetoric and a dismal reality of under performance. NEEDS taunts private-public sector partnership to the delight of all. In fact NEPAD, the tool manager which commen President Obasanjo is premised on partnership, between sectors, regions and countries in Africa and the world as a whole. Partnership therefore suffers laughable deficits when government officials without apology (and for whatever reason), absent themselves at a private sector expansion project where genuine partnership in words and policy encouragement are required.
The DG of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) impressed nobody when he attributed his late coming to the visiting Chinese Vice- Minister of culture or something like that! This excuse once again underscores the increasing crisis of priorities and absence of road map to sustainable development. It is unthinkable that a Chinese official would step down a commissioning of a project in Beijing to receive a visiting Nigerian Culture minister. Charity starting from abroad is not part of Chinese culture as it seems to be here.
The point cannot be overemphasized that our investment charity should start at home and not abroad! Communication industry like any other sector has variegated implications for employment and investment capital. Government can only perform its democratic oversight of private enterprise not from the rear of inexplicable boycott but by actively bearing witness to all efforts that add value and create jobs in the era of job-losses and unemployment.
AIT deserves support through institutional support and advice. In particular it must invest further on production of programmes as distinct from existing distribution of programmes some of which are clear imports for which we could get local substitutes.
