NBC’s delay in granting radio license cost me millions – Kofi

By Jimitota Onoyume, Assistant News Editor

Managing Director of Water Melon Media Limited, Sapele, Delta State, Mr Atseneyinoritse Kofi Teye, has expressed sadness over the losses he suffered due to his inability to secure a licence to start operating a radio station at New Ogorode Road, Ogorode, Sapele, five years after his application. Kofi said he chose to start a radio station in Sapele because residents use town criers for information dissemination.

In an interview, he said even though he had expended money on the project to change the situation, he was yet to get a response from the National Broadcasting Commission, NBC. According to him, critical components of a transformer he acquired at N10,500,000 and installed at the place where operations were to commence were stolen and a plant he bought for N8,000,000 was tampered with.
He, however, said he would not give up on the investment until NBC gave him a license to commence operations.
His words: “One reason I decided to set up a radio station is that, in this 21st century, town criers still disseminate information in Sapele using a tricycle, otherwise known as keke. The town criers go around the town in keke. It is disgusting, isn’t it?
“I was born in Sapele, and my parents were born and raised in Sapele. I worked for the Gulf Oil Company, which later became Chevron. I worked for both Gulf Oil and Chevron for a total of 31 years.
“I said to myself after retirement that, because God had blessed me so much, I should go to the university to study. But I could not attend a university in Nigeria because of the persistent strikes. I went to a university in Ghana and graduated.
“English students do internships through the university’s programme. I did mine with a radio station in Nigeria, precisely at Cool FM in Lagos State. They gave me a letter from Cool FM to submit to the university in Ghana at the end of the programme.
“During the period of the internship, I was on air. I even received accolades from people. This experience fuelled my desire to start a radio station in Sapele, the community I come from.
“I bought a piece of land measuring 150×200. It was a swamp located on New Ogorode Road. I sand-filled the place. While I was doing this, I began the process of obtaining a license for the radio station. I told Uncle Sam Amuka, Publisher of Vanguard Newspapers, about my dream and he promised to assist. He is our respected uncle in Sapele and a major figure in the media industry.
“He contacted the then Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, on the phone regarding the issue. I submitted all the documents to NBC. However, before Lai Mohammed left office, I could not get the license to begin operations. I approached a director at the NBC, where my application was, to find out what had happened. He said the late former President Muhammadu Buhari could not approve the list submitted by the Minister before the expiration of his tenure.
“Ever since the late former President Buhari left office, I have spoken with several people about the issue. Some of them scammed me. When I got tired, I decided to take a break.
“Last year, thieves broke into the premises and removed very expensive electric cables from the buildings meant to power the studio, production room, and other valuable fittings.
“From 2024 to 2025, thieves kept invading the premises of the radio station. I have a two storey building there, including a security post, a generator house, studio, and office. I saw all these components at Cool FM because I toured their facility.
“Inside the radio station, I built two studios and a production room. I had two studios because I also intended to set up a television station. The thieves scraped the walls, stole all the cables, and even went into the ceiling to remove more. They did the same to the production room. They vandalised the entire place.
“We had security men, but they resigned because they did not want to work at night. The thieves even made holes in the walls. I do not want to waste my time going to the police. If you go to a police station now, they will tell you they do not have pens, paper, and so on.
“All I want is for NBC to tell the world why they cannot give me approval. If I have a license, I will bring in the transmitter from abroad. This is my country. I want to invest here, create jobs and add value to the economy. This is one way I can contribute to the growth of Sapele, Delta State and Nigeria.”

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