Within the Nineteen Nineties and early 2000s, one may surprise why individuals in Southwest Nigeria gathered each Friday simply earlier than 8:00 p.m.
It may additionally increase questions on why older women and men of their seventies joined these gatherings. Nevertheless, the rationale for these assemblies wasn’t soccer or any sporting occasion however the enthralling Nnkan Nbe programme hosted by the late Kolawole Olawuyi.
Whereas the identify ‘Kolawole Olawuyi’ may not instantly spark recognition then, the phrase ‘Ha, Nnkan Nbe’ (which suggests unusual issues are taking place) doubtless does, evoking recollections of the must-watch weekly programme Nnkan Nbe, which he masterfully anchored.
For a lot of followers of Nigerian tv, the phrase ‘Ha, Nnkan Nbe’ that means ‘Unusual issues are taking place’ serves as a nostalgic reminder of the charming programme that delved into eerie, mysterious occasions unfolding in society on the time.
Late Olawuyi’s opening phrase and compelling storytelling made the present a phenomenon, etched into the recollections of nationwide viewers.
Nnkan Nbe
The programme delved into varied eerie and charming matters, from witches, wizards, and future snatchers to mysterious objects in unusual areas.
It additionally uncovered the darkish underworld of kidnappers, ritualists, robbers, and infamous landlords identified to hurt their tenants.
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Launched throughout speedy trade (media retailers) development, the programme stood out for its originality and rapidly grew to become a serious subject of public curiosity.
Every episode was a vibrant tapestry of on a regular basis Nigerian life, addressing urgent societal points whereas celebrating the nation’s wealthy cultural variety.
The late Olawuyi’s charisma and revolutionary storytelling enchanted audiences, remodeling ‘Nnkan Nbe’ right into a beloved cornerstone of Nigerian tv.
Viewers had been drawn not solely to its gripping storylines but in addition to the relatable characters, who mirrored their very own lives and experiences.
The start
Late Olawuyi’s profession reached a excessive level with ‘Nnkan Nbe’, however his groundbreaking radio programmes, akin to ‘Ìrírí Ayé’ and ‘Irinkerindo Akolawole’ within the Nineteen Nineties, had been additionally must-listens. These programmes provided recent views on human challenges, unravelling “unusual however true” mysteries that captivated audiences.
The reveals attracted a broad viewership, particularly episodes masking Okorocha and Malaika Agba. Nevertheless, in addition they confronted backlash and finally grew to become unwelcome on the Federal Radio Company of Nigeria (FRCN).
This setback led Olawuyi to determine Kolbim Communications, his impartial firm, the place he produced an audio-visual model of ‘Nnkan Nbe’ for Ogun State Broadcasting Company (OGBC) in Abeokuta and later Galaxy Tv in Lagos. He remained devoted to the programme till his demise.
Whereas Olawuyi may not have been seen as a standard broadcaster, ‘Nkan Nbe’ stood out for its distinctive method. The present uncovered the mysterious and sometimes sinister actions of people inside society, particularly within the South-west, airing on quite a few radio and TV stations.
PREMIUM TIMES as soon as reported that the late Olawuyi ran a revealing collection on ‘Nkan Nbe’, that includes testimonies from former backroom workers and members of late TB Joshua’s Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN), who alleged occult practices and different surprising actions throughout the church.
Thriller life
By means of the groundbreaking programme, the late Olawuyi emerged as a larger-than-life determine, unearthing and investigating circumstances on a scale that no journalist has matched since his passing.
His braveness and confidence, hallmarks of the Ibadan-born broadcaster, set him aside. Many nonetheless say, “Nobody has possessed that form of audacity since.”
Certainly one of Olawuyi’s most widely-known exposes was the case of Reverend King—actual identify Chukwuemeka Ezeugo—a preacher from Anambra State in southeastern Nigeria. In 2006, Reverend King gained nationwide infamy after being convicted for the homicide of a church member, Ann Uzoh. Nigeria’s Supreme Court docket upheld his demise sentence on 26 February 2016.
Past the Reverend King case, the late Olawuyi introduced numerous harrowing tales to the general public eye. These included circumstances of abused youngsters, people claiming supernatural powers to hurt others, and the chilling tales of “Aja ile”, or underground killing homes, the place kidnappers’ hideouts had been uncovered.
He additionally coated ritual killings and occult practices in southwestern Nigeria. Notably, he uncovered the story of a girl named Malaika, who declared herself a god with the ability to regulate individuals’s lives—till Olawuyi’s investigation pressured her into the general public eye.
Late Olawuyi’s fearless method and relentless pursuit of the reality made him each admired and feared. Listening to him was an expertise that was as thrilling because it was unsettling.
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Admirers had been captivated by his bravery, whereas others feared for his life. When he died, many couldn’t shake the sensation that his enemies had lastly “gotten him.”
On the finish of each broadcast, he would log out together with his signature phrase: “Aa ma be obe nii besu, atelese a bena wo. Eni ba ni a ma bo nikan lawa o ni de ba nle,” which interprets loosely to, “We are going to all the time got down to work, and it’s those that want us hurt who will fail of their schemes.”
Profession
Olawuyi, raised in Ibadan, Oyo State, was born to Williams Inaolaji Olawuyi and Alhaja Olawuyi. He graduated from the Division of Mass Communication on the Polytechnic of Ibadan, marking the start of a distinguished profession in media.
Olawuyi made his mark on the Federal Radio Company of Nigeria (FRCN), the place he launched the groundbreaking radio program ‘Ìrírí Ayé’ in 1992. This programme carved a singular area of interest in Nigerian broadcasting and rapidly gained a large following.
Serving because the Managing Director of Kolbims Communications, Olawuyi died on 4 March 2007, in a Lagos hospital.
On the time of his demise, he was near finishing a Grasp’s program in Communication Arts on the College of Ibadan.
He was survived by his aged mother and father, his spouse, Abimbola Olawuyi, and his youngsters.
Past his household, Olawuyi left an everlasting legacy, having mentored a brand new era of radio and tv personalities, amongst them the famend Gospel Juju artiste and broadcaster, Yinka Ayefele.
In 1999, whereas employed at Kolbims Communications, Ayefele was en path to the Ogun State Broadcasting Company (OGBC) in Abeokuta to help Olawuyi with the ‘Irinkerindo’ programme when he suffered the accident that left him paralyzed.
In 2015, Ayefele paid homage to his former mentor by reviving Olawuyi’s traditional radio present, ‘Irinkerindo Akolawole’, on his radio station, Contemporary FM, in Ibadan.
This revival served as a testomony to Olawuyi’s enduring affect in Nigerian media.
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