Stanley nley Nkwazema

entire country joined ned us in the protest but the adamant Abacha cha regime did not bulge. That in itself was one point that I couldn’t have realised that I would be a broadcaster. A friend invited me to RayPower which just came out that same year and I said radio. He said yes advising that I should not expect the regime ime is going to open the media houses that t have been closed down any soon, that it will be a long holiday. Of course, The Guardian dian placed all of us on leave without pay. I went to the Raypower newsroom. I did not just walk in there and got the job. There here was a plan then. You would recall that the late Ladi Lawal was the President of the NUJ. There was a brokered agreement, ment, the NUJ sought to locate all the remaining aining newspapers that were still up and running. The union went under the cover over of what they called succour for distressed ssed journalists, to place some journalists who were really distressed. DAAR Communications, cations, a new organisation then, apparently looking ooking for people who can assist it in getting ting some of the good stories, magnanimously mously granted six of us from the Concord d newspapers, Punch and from The Guardian n the privilege to work in a radio house , under nder the NUJ arrangement. That was how I found ound myself in a radio house as a stringer r for one year during the course of closure of The Guardian. I soon fell in love with the he microphone; I never expected or anticipated pated that I was going to work in radio. I was okay with the image of the flagship of The e Guardian, doing all the stories, going around und and doing interviews. The glamour of the he radio took over me that one year and subsequently when The Guardian was reopened, pened, I was to ask for a job and the company any graciously gave me one. I must have been assessed that I also performed during that one year and I didn’t disappoint. That was how a 24 year career in broadcasting started. ed.

What was it like growing up?

I am from a very y humble background. I had parents who o were not educated but who had a desire sire to have their children acquire better etter education. I recall that in our primary school days in Ogwa, Edo o state, where I grew up and did d not go out of that community y in my first 12 years. You have e been to my community; you ou know why I am a home boy. I can also make deep parables arables in