Jaiye Ojo...beginning of new dawn for ITPANBy Kabir Alabi Garba of The Guardian
Published: November 19, 2006
Print In the last few years, there had been an invasion of Nigerian media by foreign programmes, programmes whose value, in term of culture, are of little relevance to the national development of the country.
According to him, "what this suggests to us is that our people like good entertainment, and we have been unable to meet up with their demands through local production. The irony is that we have every thing, both man, technical and aesthetic capacity to deliver even much better than what foreign programmes are offering.
"The greatest challenge is funding because good programmes cost money, and we have not been able to work out good model that would work, and work with other critical partners that could provide funding to be able to provide quality programmes," the new ITPAN boss retorted, adding: "That is why as an association, we have decided to stand as a catalyst to making possible the kind of initiative that I have just spoken about. We are looking at this dispensation on how we can give our people more relevant contents, that is entertaining, educative and informative."
Leadership is about futuristic thinking and most especially at this time when the market is very competitive. From his own perspective, what challenges does he foresee for ITPAN, and how does he intend to handle them?
He informed that he was ready, noting, "leadership is about thinking, and thinking is a product of concentration. I am talking about products that will see to the change of entire life span of television, it is something foreseeable. It is a team work, we are working as a team to see that these ideas are achieved in the next few months. We recognise that we have to work with one another to be able to achieve what we want to do. We are closing up the gap. We have a very stable membership, so when we speak, we understand ourselves very well."
He also informed that he has put in place a structure to continue his business, without affecting the leadership and work of ITPAN, saying, "it is about building up people, am not working alone, I have people working with me even in ITPAN. They report to me as a team. I'm not running ITPAN alone, I constitute committees, making the job a little bit easier, and the ability to bring people together is what constitute so much. I would not like to take credit for the success of these organisations alone - his business concern-, it is a collective success of a team of people who are working for actualisation of these goals. I am just privilege to stand at the top of each of these teams to give directions."
He added that as he is pursuing ITPAN's agenda, the way he pursues other things, he has personal assistants and key managers who run each of his businesses. "I see a lot of expansion in the businesses that I do, the same way as I see expansion and growth even in ITPAN. The simple reason is that I am inspired by men who are multi-specialists, people who are involved in different things at the same time.
"I will make a success of the things am doing currently. I have the capacity of doing 10 times more than what am doing now.
"I intend to express myself in the opportunity that is given to me, at the end of the day, if I can be able to make a mark in my own generation to the glory of God, so that one can leave behind a legacy of performer. I am not over stretched, am enjoying the things am doing, and I see beyond what is being presented."
He started a TV programme, Tonight with JO recently, what is it about?
He answers with a smile. "Tonight with JO is a specialised talk show, which looks at issue of national development. I have a bias for what I call developmental communication. How do you communicate to develop? So, we bring in guests to talk about different aspects of our national life. and what opportunity and challenges are there, how to move Nigeria from where it is to where it is supposed to be. I have had an interesting sessions with guests and people have called in to say this is a particularly inspiring and extremely informative and educative.
"We are talking to small, but critical individuals, who are leaders, and running this country, both in the private and public sector; men and women who destiny have bestowed opportunity to be managing various aspect of our lives. It is a programme that should be watched by those who have the interest of Nigeria at heart. We have been getting positive responses. So, another thing is on how we can move it from just LTV 8 to other major channels, in order to reach even Nigerians in the Diaspora. We are trying to expand the base of those who are involved in this programme. We are seriously looking at people who do not like to talk but have so much for Nigeria.
"Unfortunately, in Nigeria, very few people get recycled in the media. The programme takes special interest in people, majority of Nigerians, who have something to offer, but do have mean to communicate these ideas to people."
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