News

Edo Journalists Embark On Endurance Trek To Honour Dokpesi, Want Oct. 25th Declared As National Private Broadcasting Day

Published

2 years ago

October 25, 2024

Editor

In recognition of his contribution to the media industry in Nigeria, and as a way of immortalising him, journalists in Edo State today, Friday, October 25th, 2024, embarked on an endurance match in honour of High Chief Raymond Dokpsesi, pioneer of private broadcasting in Nigeria.

Themed Raymond Dokpsesi Annual Endurance Treck, the Edo journalists led by the council Chairman, Comrade Festus Alenkhe and Mrs. Olabisi Akpadia, Head of Benin Network Centre, DAAR Communications – owners of AIT and Raypower – kick-started the fitness match at the state secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Benin, and went through Ezoti Street, Airport Road, Oba Square popularly known as Ring Road and Sapele Road, in honour of the departed media icon, businessman and politician.

INFO DAILY reports that in the wake of deregulation of broadcasting, on 24 August 1992, DAAR Communications Plc, founded by Dokpesi, applied for and was granted approval to operate an independent radio station.

The station which started test transmission on 15 December 1993 made history on 1 September 1994 when it commenced commercial broadcasting with the launch of Raypower 100.5 in Lagos, as the first 24-hour broadcast service station in Nigeria, as well as the first private independent broadcasting station in the country.

Speaking shortly after the endurance trek, Akpadia said the trek was to honour the late business tycoon on his posthumous birthday and also to remind the Federal Government on the need to declare every October 25th (Dokpsesi’s birthday) as National Day for Private Broadcasting in Nigeria.

The Head of Benin Network Centre, AIT/Raypower, who disclosed that the Endurance Trek in honour of Dr. Dokpsesi has been on for the past 17 years, said media practitioners would continue to do the Endurance Trek until the Federal Government honours the day as National Day for Private Broadcasting.

Akpadia, who said the Endurance Trek was done simultaneously in Lagos and Abuja, noted: “our voices have not been loud enough and that is why we would keep talking about this day until the Federal Government declare this day to honour him.”

She further described her late boss as “someone who loves everyone that comes his way. A very generous and brilliant man. He’s someone who breaks ground. He was not afraid of anyone.”

Also speaking, Acting Head of News, AIT, Benin Network Centre, Osarose Sadoh, described Dokpsesi as “a politician, a renowned broadcaster, someone who gave Nigerians the platform to be aired.”

According to her, the late business tycoon “did not just bring innovation to the broadcast industry in Nigeria, but brought a total transformation to the industry.”

Also lending his voice, Edo NUJ Chairman, Alenkhe joined the AIT family to call on the Federal Government to declare October 25th every year as National Day for Private Broadcasting.

“We are making the call that every October 25th should be declared as National Day for Private Broadcasting in Nigeria. This was the mind of Dokpsesi when he was alive, we want to continue from there,” he appealed.

News

Transfer: Premier League Clubs Scramble For Dele-Bashiru

Published

4 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

Lazio midfielder, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru is a subject of interest from three Premier League clubs, according to Sky Sports.

Lazio reportedly rejected offers from Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth for the Nigeria international in January.

La Biancolesti are bracing for more interest in Dele-Bashiru ahead of the summer transfer window, according to Sky Sports.

The 24-year-old has two years left on his contract with the Serie A club.

The attacking midfielder joined the Rome-based club from Turkish Super Lig outfit Hatayspor in 2024.

He has been a regular feature for Lazio this season.

News

Xenophobic Attacks: Nigerian Students To Picket MTN, MultiChoice, Other Businesses

Published

4 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

The leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS South-West Zone D, has announced plans to picket South African companies in Nigeria following the ongoing xenophobic attacks in the country.

DAILY POST reports that some Nigerians were recently killed in South Africa over the violent attacks.

A statement issued to newsmen by Comrade Adeyemo Josiah Kayode, Coordinator, NANS South-West, Zone D, said that the association is mobilizing to take decisive and lawful action by organizing peaceful picketing and mass advocacy against South African business interests operating in Nigeria.

“We categorically state that the continued targeting of Nigerians under any guise is unacceptable and must come to an immediate end.

“This will include major corporations such as MTN Group and MultiChoice Group. It is morally indefensible for businesses to thrive in an environment where the lives of Nigerians are protected, while Nigerians are subjected to fear and violence elsewhere.

“This contradiction will no longer be tolerated,” the statement said.

News

N5m, N10m Zero-interest Loans: SheVentures Opens Applications For Women Entrepreneurs

Published

6 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

First City Monument Bank (FCMB) has opened a new round of applications for its SheVentures proposition, offering zero-interest loans of up to ₦10 million to women entrepreneurs to ease access to working capital and support business growth.

The facility provides loans ranging from ₦500,000 to ₦5 million under a general category, and ₦5 million to ₦10 million for sector-specific businesses, with funding capped at up to 50% of an applicant’s average monthly turnover.

At the centre of the offering is a 0% interest rate, with all charges embedded in a transparent structure.

Repayment is structured over four or six months, allowing businesses to match obligations with their cash flow cycles.

Yemisi Edun, Managing Director and Chief Executive of First City Monument Bank (FCMB), said the initiative reflects a deliberate approach to inclusive growth.

“Inclusive growth requires access to capital and the right conditions for businesses to deploy that capital effectively.

“Women-led enterprises are critical to economic activity, yet they face structural barriers.

This intervention aims to help close that gap by providing financing that supports job creation, business expansion, and long-term sustainability for women entrepreneurs.”

“Access to affordable finance remains a major constraint for women entrepreneurs,” said Nnenna Jacob-Ogogo, Group Head, SheVentures and Impact Segments at First City Monument Bank (FCMB).

“By removing the cost barrier and offering quick, flexible funding, this zero-interest loan is designed to safeguard existing jobs, enable businesses to invest in growth initiatives, and foster resilience in challenging economic conditions.”

Women-owned businesses account for a significant share of Nigeria’s small and medium-sized enterprises but continue to face high borrowing costs and limited access to credit.

Through these efforts, SheVentures tackles persistent financing gaps facing women-led businesses, combining targeted funding with broader support to empower women entrepreneurs, encourage business innovation, and enhance their ability to compete on a national scale.

Applications for the zero-interest loan are now open.Apply now.