The Nigerian Television Authority: Simply Not Our Television

By

Aliyu A. Ammani

aaammani@yahoo.co.uk

 

It was the 29th of Sha’aban. I sat in my sitting room awaiting news on the sighting of the Holy Moon of Ramadan. NTA Kaduna was hooked to the network service of the NTA. Each time I tuned the TV to Nigerian Television Authority, NTA Kaduna, I either saw some Nigerian musicians idiotically aping the black American 50cent or something worst. The significance of that particular moment and time to me and other Muslims was apparently lost on the NTA.
 
So, wallowing in nostalgia, I recollected our days as boys growing up in Kaduna. That was presumably the Golden Era of television in Kaduna. Those are the days of Radio Television Kaduna [RTK] through the Nigerian Television Kaduna [NTV]; to the first version of NTA Kaduna. Television programmes then, despite their relatively fewer hours of airtime and wide variety: Nigerian, American, English, and even Indian; had good local contents that reflects the socio-cultural norms and values of the environment. When it is time for religious events and festivities: Sallah, Babba and Karama; Christmas, Easter or even Children’s Day; the contents of local TV programmes always reflected that fully.
 
Series of local drama and entertainment programmes kept us glued to ours or our neighbours’ TV sets: Sahoro da Sahorama; Karambana; Gidan Kashe Ahu; Kasagi; Tambari; Tumbin Giwa; Case File etcetera. Educational Programmes: Sesame Street, Hausa by TV, Yaki da Jahilci, and etcetera. Exchange/Network programmes: the Village Headmaster, Cock Crow at Dawn, etcetera. Then the National TV was alive to its social responsibilities: the culture and interest of its host community was at the forefront, never neglected.
 
The NTA today is no doubt basking in the glory that emanates from its taking full advantage of the 21st Century state of the art technology in television broadcasting. The studios of the NTA across the nation have never been so integrated technologically: from each of the several network centres spread in the geopolitical zones of the country, national programmes are transmitted to the nooks and crannies of the nation. The NTA International is now a reality. The thrust of this write-up is that, by accident or design, the dominance of the network service’s so-called national programmes at the expense of local ones alienates several Nigerian cultures from the the Nigerian Television Authority's screen.
 
The power of television to influence people’s behavior, beliefs and culture cannot be overemphasized. The NTA is failing, if it is attempting to pattern a vibrant national culture for Nigeria. National culture, according to experts, aims at cultivating national identity so that the individual will feel in his or her heart the beauty and warmth of the nation. In this way, the members will come to share a common devotion to the nation, and become united in their collective goals.
 
How the NTA come about its version of national culture, which it set out to project in its non-news network service programmes is not clear. Is NTA’s national culture supposed to be a melting pot or a bowl of salad of the numerous Nigerian cultures? It appears more like a bowl of salad, and a closer look at the component-ingredients revealed a strong bias in favour of the cultures, norms and values of southern Nigeria: the drama, one-off plays, series and serials; musicals and even perspectives on issues. Perhaps it is commercialization that determines what programme get aired on the network service: the highest bidder gets to fill the slot. The invisible hand of Adam Smith is allowed to be the determinant of what programme to run on the network service of our NTA. Otherwise how does one explain the advertisement of alcoholic drinks on the network service of our NTA, or cases where breweries sponsor programmes that are apparently counter-culture to most Nigerian communities on the network service of our very own NTA. This is sad for a public owned television.  
 
I am a Nigerian who feels hoodwinked by the architects of programming on the network service of the NTA. I feel my culture; norms and values are repressed or suppressed in the network service programmes of the NTA. I wish to make the following suggestions to the management of the NTA. First, the NTA should allow it state stations to have more local programmes input, that will reflect the cultures, norms and values of their environment. Second, from time to time, exchange of programmes between state stations should be encouraged to infuse variety. Third, network service programmes should be minimized, to comprise essentially of news and current affairs. This way the NTA can make all Nigerians have a sense of belonging in the Nigerian Television Authority project.
 
I look forward to a time in the very near future, when I will sit down with my family, to watch programmes of interest that have direct relevance to our culture, our norms and our values on the NTA.