The Kanwan Katsina and District Head of Ketare, Alhaji Usman Bello Kankara, mni, has congratulated the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria on its 75th anniversary, describing the milestone as a testament to resilience and excellence in public broadcasting in the country.
This is contained in a statement signed by his Media Aid and Sarkin Labarun Kanwan Katsina Jamilu Hashimu Gora and made available to newsmen in Katsina.
The statement noted that the Monarch granted an exclusive interview with FRCN, where he reflected on his early career with the corporation in Kaduna.
The traditional ruler, who once served as a staff of FRCN Kaduna in 1976, worked in the newsroom as a roving correspondent shortly after completing his secondary education, before proceeding to Ahmadu Bello University Zaria.
He recalled working under his then News Manager, Mr. Abdulaziz Oladimeji, noting that the experience laid a solid foundation for his future career especially when he was appointed as the Public Relations Officer (PRO) in the Nigeria Customs Service.
In his goodwill message, the Kanwan Katsina commended the management and staff of FRCN for their commitment over the years, stating that the station has consistently played a vital role in educating, informing, and entertaining the public.
He also shared memories of the analogue broadcasting era, highlighting the challenges of news gathering and transmission at the time, and compared it with the efficiency of modern-day digital broadcasting.
The the Former Customs Comptroller further applauded the establishment of the New Media Directorate, noting that it will significantly enhance public access to government policies and programmes.
However, he expressed concern over the persistent power challenges affecting FRCN Kaduna, which sometimes lead to the station going off air for so many hours.
Alhaji Usman Bello Kankara advised the management of FRCN to consider adopting solar energy solutions to ensure uninterrupted transmission, describing it as unfortunate for such a critical station to experience downtime.
He emphasized that a large population in Northern Nigeria depends on FRCN for news, education, and entertainment
The Kanwan Katsina also advised the Director of New Media, Henritta Ibrahim, to consistently upload important news and programmes on social media platforms, to enable audiences access content even when they miss radio broadcasts.
He reaffirmed his confidence in the capacity of FRCN to continue evolving in line with global best practices while maintaining its legacy as a trusted voice in Nigeria’s media landscape.