BOMA EREKOSIMA Alias "Country-Man"
When we first contacted the families of Late Boma Erekosima of blessed memory, the second son Erekosima Inye Boma was elated to have their father's memory out there.
HISTORY RADIO RIVERS
The Rivers State Government under Commander Alfred Diete- Spiff exhibited the desire to own and manage its broadcast outfit. legal instrument that gave birth to the Rivers State Broadcasting Corporation (RSBC) was signed into law, on August 24, 1973. It is called Edict No.8 of 1973. The mandate was clear and simple, to create appropriate and favourable identity for the newly created Rivers State which was created out of the defunct Eastern Nigeria.
When the call signal “Radio Rivers” was used and a vibrant damsel Mambo Tumbowei signed on the station on June1, 1978, the project to protect the identity of Rivers people was set in motion unequivocally.
Chief Olu B. Fubara was the General Manager of RSBC (as Radio Rivers alone).
Chief Fubara later recruited a team of staff who were committed and dedicated to the project and service to the state.
They included Mrs Nguba Agolia Aspinall, Johnny Abasa, Mr Ben Okowa and Dr. Cyprian Wonodi while late Ernest Ogbanga came from the NBC-FRCN and others who chose the option to embrace the new Radio Rivers. Truly Radio Rivers kept all the strata of Rivers society as one indivisible entity. This is very much evidenced today.
It is nostalgic to remember beautiful programmes particularly in’ Languages such, Minasiki and Arokereme broadcast to the Okrika audience presented bv Obed Akalogbo, Fari-epere by late Billy Tima Evans to Kalabari audience, Bonalo Lobel to Gokhana people presented by late Dornubari Fulbel, late Felix Kpai and Gody Bazari while Ikwerre Nbekwelemji to Ikwerre audience was presented by late Wolugbom, Ohaka and much later Augustine Okajile etc.
There were also similar programmes in Nembe, Ijaw, Andoni, Abua, Ekpeye and Eleme among others.
Programmes in languages were not only the programmes on Radio Rivers but music, news, sports, particularly live coverage of football matches and National Sports Festival as well as religious and cultural festival, such as carniriv 1988 and the present day carnival programmes.
Better still, in search of solution to enlighten a multi ethnic audience such as Rivers State, Radio Rivers introduced the use of Pidgin English tagged “Special English” as an official language of public communication on radio in 1984.
Pidgin English on Radio Rivers shot late Isikima Harry and Boma Erekosima to stardom. It is pertinent to observe that before then, the innovation of Pidgin English was not in official use on any radio station in Nigeria.
To serve the state even better on May 2, 1981 the Rivers State Government added Frequency Modulation (FM) to the stable of RSBC. The FM Station was signed on by the veteran Dafini Gogo-Abbey. Radio Rivers Am and Radio Rivers 2 FM Stereo not only ruled the airwaves but kept the policy thrust of the founding fathers alive.
Unfortunately, Rivers people lost the Am Station of RSBC Radio Rivers in 1999. The implication remains the collapse of local and indigenous languages of Rivers people in a fast growing city of Port Harcourt and Rivers State at large.
By - Baridorn Sika.
TRIBUTE BY FAMILY
Below is short tribute as put together by the family of late Boma Erekosima alias "countryman" of blessed memory. Nineteen (19) years.
It is but like yesterday.
On that faithful Sunday morning, we all prepared to go to church when skies became darkened. The streets became silent and the echo was heard of the fallen of a gem-You our dear Daddy. Looking back at the things you thought us, we do find solace knowing your teachings and mentoring are not vanity.
We live actualizing all you planned for us.
Love you as always. By the family.
THE KING OF TALK RADIO
Boma Erekosima was also called the The 'King of Talk Radio', his voice symbolised the people-oriented philosophy of the station Radio Rivers 2fm Stereo. He always started off his show "News in Pidgin English" at 11am and 6:30pm with this introduction :
"Country people, na the thing wey dey happen for this we country I wan tell una so. The person una dey hear him voice na Boma Erekosima"
He was one of Radio's Finest Voices in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria during the 70ies and 80ies.
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| Memorialsng |
It has been Nineteen years since he passed on, but we cannot get enough of his pidgin philosophy, unknown to many Nigerians...
Boma Erekosima's Quotes
1. Monkey smart monkey smart na because tree near tree.
2. You go fit tell blind man say oil no dei for soup but no be pepper.
3. Na situation make crayfish bend.
4. Fly wei no dei hear word na im dei follow dead body enter grave.
5. Craze man say craze dei sweet but the problem be say treking too much.
6. No matter how teeth and tongue quarrel dei must settle because them dei leave for the same house and them need each other.
7. Weather say him tier for human being. Rain fall den complain say cold too much, sun shine den say heat too much. Which one you want.
His marriage antonyms.
1. B.A. - Begin Again. 2. M.A. - Manage Ahead. 3. P.hd. - Put Hunger Down. We know what great memories people hold to late Boma Erekosima and the nostalgic feeling attached to such a wonderful personality.
Aduei Country Man - Boma Erekosima
