By Editor
Ace broadcaster and presenter of Press Talk, ” a daily dose of newspaper headlines” on Abuja’s Kiss FM, Owigho Okolo broke down in tears this morning while reading news of the kidnapped passengers on Abuja-Kaduna train.
Owigho, who has anchored the show for many years alongside the producer, Kunle Adeniyi who also doubles as the news analyst, was left in short spams after reading the news of one of the victims delivery of a baby in the camp.
” How can the government allow this to happen, are we in a Banana Republic. Then lawmakers passed a law to punish anyone who pay ransom to the kidnappers,” Owigho said then started to cry.
Adeniyi, the analyst suggested they take a short break and open the phone lines even though it was not yet time to do so. But Owigho refused.
” They take young girls into the bush, forced them to have carnal knowledge and impregnate them. The children are born into violence, they are indoctrinated, that is all they see. The children live there five , 10 years. We have to deradicalise the children, and then lawmakers sit in their offices, do nothing and criminalise payment of ransom.
” They earn N13m every month, in that one month there are people in the kidnappers den, I don’t even know what I am doing, Kunle, I am not even hearing you again,” Owigho cried.
When the phone lines were opened, a lot of Nigerians shared the same sentiments with Owigho noting that even though he is a broadcaster, he also is a human being and a Nigerian who is affected by the same issues and prone to the same insecurity.
” We are human beings,” Owigho said in response to sanctions that the Federal government might place on Kiss FM for the outburst. ” Are we suppose to just read this like broadcasters and pretend it doesn’t concern us?”
Kiss FM has been a strong force in defence of democracy in Abuja and the station while maintaining a balance reportage has also given voice to the underprivileged and vulnerable people in the society. One of its key programmes is the ” Honorable House of Parapo” which mirrors the malaise in the society comically while providing realistic solutions.
