‘We won’t tolerate separatist remarks’ — NBC kicks against Yoruba nation radio station

The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has warned that it will not tolerate the use of any broadcast channel to break the unity of the country.

The commission said this in reaction to reports that Ilana Omo Oodua worldwide, a Yoruba self-determination group, will unveil a station called Radio Ijangbara on January 1, 2023, as the official broadcast arm of the movement.

The separatist group had said the online radio will be broadcasting from Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Reacting, Balarabe Ilelah, NBC director general, said Nigerians “do not need another round of heartache and disruption” by any tribal interest group.

“It has come to the attention of the Commission that a group, the llana Omo Oodua Worldwide, in a statement jointly signed by its Chairman and General Secretary, Wale Adeniran and Tunde Amusat, respectively, announced that it would formally unveil Radio Ijangbara, as the official broadcast radio of the group on January 1, 2023,” Ilelah said.

“The Commission wishes to state emphatically that, it will not tolerate the use of any broadcast facility within or outside Nigeria to create disunity among Nigerians and intentionally, or inadvertently, mislead people in a deliberate act of subversion and sedition.

“No person shall operate or use any apparatus or premises for the transmission of sound or vision by cable, television, radio, satellite or any other medium of broadcast from anywhere in Nigeria without the approval of the Commission.

“The Commission will continue to work with the appropriate security agencies to bring to book those with the intention to use the airwaves for personal or group interest to create division in Nigeria and appeals to Nigerians for support and cooperation.

“The Commission urges Nigerians to unite in joining hands with the government to build a stronger and more prosperous nation and to help in the success of next year’s General Elections.”

‘LIKE IPOB, LIKE ILANA OMO OODUA’

In 2015, the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) launched its radio station — Radio Biafra — to amplify its message of secession and criticise the activities of the Nigerian government.

The federal government later said it had arrested the masterminds of the station after accusing the group of treason.

But IPOB debunked the government’s claims.

Although the government eventually jammed the signals of the radio station, it came back on air.

In 2018, IPOB announced the launch of ‘Radio Nigeria Hausa service’ to “provide an unbiased informative platform to take the message of liberation to the oppressed indigenous northerners”.