Since his appointment as Director General, Nigerian Broadcasting Commission NBC, Balarabe Shehu llelah in June 2021, aside introducing new reforms , enforcement of supervisory roles, he had sustained the template of uneven progress and development of the regulatory body of broadcasting in Nigeria.
In line with it’s statutory functions and mandates, Ilelah had embarked on routine visits to regional offices across the country to assess the level of compliance to the code of practicing in the country in accordance with the broadcast code, as well as improve on the quality of job execution across it’s offices.
With new leadership in 2021, the need to configure/ improve the psyche of staffers through training and retraining was desiring, he embarked on wholistic reorientation of workers with a view to delivering on the mandate of the organization, particularly it’s regulatory roles in view of the growing numbers of broadcast stations in the country.
Having deregulated with the issuance of more licences to new broadcast stations and the standing order for payment of outstanding debts to the agency, Ilelah rejigged the supervisory roles of the commission to meeting the current realities particularly at the digital era.
With the ongoing Digital Switch Over DSO launched variously in Lagos, Abuja, Portharcourt, Kano and Plateau state expected to spread across the country with concerted efforts, the need to revolutionize it’s monitoring strategies in tandem with the technological driven order became imminent.
The helmsman also carried routine sanctions and reprimand of erring broadcasting stations through fines and outright closure of stations that sensationalize political issues or issues of national importance, that had stabilised broadcasting in Nigeria.
The positive development ensured the success of the 2023 general elections devoid of any form of tension or politically motivated inflammatory news, deploying the available laws and act covering NBC.
Before the general elections in February, 2023, the commission had embarked on nationwide awareness and sensitisation program to both Radio and Television stations across the country, warning and advising on the consequences of breaking the code of ethics of the profession in the country.
The nationwide tour reduced to the barest minimum and ensured absolute control of some recalcitrant stations through strict monitoring and appropriate fines meted out to avoid further break down of law and order.
Therefore, the success recorded in the 2023 general elections was largely responsible to the up to date supervisory roles applied by the commission in it’s activities before, during and after the elections.
Ilelah also set up special machinery to monitor inflammatory statements, even though subject to litigation from some sections of Nigerians, that had become an issue of legal pronouncement on the issue of carrying out it’s statutory functions.
It is already in the public domain that NBC had appealed judgement of the Federal Jigh Court stopping it from carrying out it’s legal mandate and it is now subject to legal interpretation before the court of law.
With cluster elections in Kogi , Imo and Bayelsa state , the commission had embarked on awareness and sensitisation program for both the political class and professionals on the need to play the game according to the rules, as it is also fully engaged in the monitoring and supervision of broadcasting, before ,during and after the elections in the affected states.
The development will also be applicable to states conducting similar elections in 2024, to ensure a hitch free exercise.
Two Years down the line, Alhaji Balarabe Shehu Ilelah had improved on the reforms, innovations and introduced laudable initiatives in the Nigerian Braodcasting Commission NBC.
With the pace of accelerated development in the agency, no doubt alot will be achieved going forward in Nigeria’s broadcasting industry, with a view to competing favourably with the global trend.
Yusuf Writes from Abuja and can be reached on yus.abubakar3@gmail.com.
