Broadcasting is part of my life – Timmy Nebuwa

Tell us about Timmy Nebuwa. I was born in Port-Harcourt, Rivers state, though my parents come from Anambra state but I consider myself a Rivers man because I have spent most of childhood in the state and it was there I became a teacher. I even had a short stay in the military and rose […]

Tell us about Timmy Nebuwa.

I was born in Port-Harcourt, Rivers state, though my parents come from Anambra state but I consider myself a Rivers man because I have spent most of childhood in the state and it was there I became a teacher. I even had a short stay in the military and rose up to the rank of a non commissioned officer.

What motivated you into broadcasting?

Incidentally, I did not do anything related to broadcasting because I studied Marketing in the university. The urge for music and broadcasting was in me when I was doing some programmes with the then Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC).

That is where I started, but before them, I had the urge for radio broadcasting. The reason for my coming to the North was the army because they brought me up here for training and I was even posted to the music department probably because of my passion for music, but when that path did not go down well, I had to look for an alternative.

After my twist with the army, I worked for EMI records, a pioneer recording company, then Cabansi Records and then I left as the crave for radio broadcasting set in, so, I moved to Radio Nigeria in 1983 as a presenter.

I would say we are the pioneers of music presentation because we gave life to the industry and Alhaji Khalifa Baba-Ahmed contributed a lot to the industry because he made me what I am today.

Back in the days, we were asked to write scripts for our production unlike today that presenters go on air to say whatever they like so you are corrected before you go on air which gave a kind of seriousness to the job than what we have today where anybody can go behind the micro phone and say whatever pleases them, back then, we had to undergo in-service training and I was there for 10 years as a presenter.

I had this passion because I come from a musical family, my father played the guitar, not that he played it professionally, but he just had the passion for it and guess that’s where I got mine from.

So, I grew up seeing the guitar in our house so this flair for music has been in my life for a while.

I even have a band in Kaduna called 10 piece band, with my radio love and because of radio being my first love, I always go for radio journalism and I have three albums in the market the most recent one being ‘Oga Driver’ but am working on a new album which I will call ‘Destiny’ because I am going to put in all I have since that will be my last bus stop in the music industry.

How long have you been in broadcasting?

I have been in broadcasting for over 30 years.

In your 30 years experience, what were your challenges?

Music as it is, is only out of dedication that one can get into music in Nigeria because it is an industry that is not organized. It does not mean am dissuading others from going into the industry, you can if you have the guts but you must have a back up by going to school and getting a good education to start with, so, if you are coming into the industry, you should have that dedication.

Thought there is success in the industry since I have three albums to myself, musical instruments and studio of my own and I help youths produce programmes that will create an impact on others.

The ultimate aim is to have a set up that will help youth through broadcasting because as the saying goes ‘experience is the best teacher’. When we started, the equipment were monologue, then analogue and finally digital.

So, these are experiences one can impact upon upcoming musicians and broadcasters.

Sir, what or who have been your motivators?

In the radio industry, I remember people like Alhaji Khalid Baba-Ahmed because he was a driving force, he was such a good broadcaster who gave us the passion because many broadcasters today don’t even know what the voices are you know, one has so many voices, one for talking and one for singing and these are some of the fundamentals that people listen to on radio.

So, these are some of the basics that I want to be inculcated into the industry and presenters of today. My advice is that anybody going into music should start learning the basics   because some of them don’t know the fundamentals of music. Even if you want to write a letter, you must learn your ABC’s first.

But because of the advent of the computer they just go into the field without proper training.

People don’t listen to the meaning of the songs but rather, they listen to the drums and that is one of the things, am considering in my next album. Well, presently, I’m in the Kaduna State Media Corporation (KSMC) where I present two shows namely “Highlife Time” and “Country Music” and also in the Kaduna State Television (KSTV) presenting Old School Jams.

Have you received any awards?

Yes, I received the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) award for contributing to the growth of the country through music.

How would you describe yourself in the broadcasting industry? Do you think you made an impact?

I am a veteran. I think the best thing is to be modest about it, over the years, I have held one of the most popular music programmes like Music Safari, but I would say I am still impacting on the people who listen to my programmes, people are always calling me and writing me.

Considering where you are now, will you say are fulfilled?

Yes, I think so because I feel very satisfied with life.

One  thing about life is for one to do things one wants to do and what I am saying now is part of my life with respect to my own children. So, despite things in life, I have been able to go after things that I crave like music particularly I am a music buff I like music wherever I go and broadcasting is part of me because I derive a lot of joy talking to people. When you know people are listening to you, it gives you a kind of elated feeling and before I go on air, I work first trying to choose the music that I will play and if there is any event, I try to relate my music to the event.

Like when the bombings were going on, I played music that was telling people to be calm and patient, and when Whitney Huston died, I played her songs for a whole week, but some of the younger ones know that dedication is what makes radio broadcasting what it is.