By Aloysius Umalo, Makurdi.
The Catholic Church has inaugurated the newly established Radio Maria Station set up by the Diocese of Makurdi, in Benue State, North Central Nigeria.
Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Makurdi, Most Reverend Wilfred Chikpa Anagbe who inaugurated the Radio, said that the setting up of the station was part of the laudable achievements of the Diocese which started since 1996, under the first indigenous Bishop of the old Makurdi Diocese, Most Rev. Athanasius Atule Usuh.
He said the station would also help to bridge the gap between the Church the lay faithful as well as provide an avenue to further its task of evangelism through the liturgy of the Holy Mass, Prayers, traditional rosary, Christian formation, news, entertainment, education, health, social and cultural programs.
“It is expected that the station would draw listeners from Benue State and other parts of the country with a view to sensitizing the Nigerian public to imbibe, support and defend our core values while also serving as a medium to transmit information on the activities of the Church".
Bishop Anagbe particularly commended the Abuja Arch Diocesan Director of Communications and Head of the Catholic Television of Nigeria, Very Rev. Fr. Dr. Patrick Tor Alumuku for the initiative to establish the Radio station in the Diocese which started about 27 years ago.
“It is my firm belief that when the full potentials of the radio station are effectively utilized, it will serve as a medium to provoke public debates leading to greater public participation in important decisions".
Catholic Director of Communications, Abuja Arch Diocese, Fr. Dr. Patrick Tor Alumuku told Voice of Nigeria that the journey to establish Radio Maria station started in 1996 while working in Rome as the first African to broadcast on Radio Vatican.
"I feel so good. It's a mission accomplished, because, when I left this Diocese in 1992 to study Communications in Rome, the idea was first for me to come back and help the diocese but after my studies, I was requested to stay back and work at the Vatican Radio.
"I guess because listening to me speak on Vatican Radio, my Bishop then, Most Rev. Athanasius Usuh began to understand in a more better way the impact of radio on the society. It was then that the Bishop's idea began to heighten to have a radio for the diocese".
Fr. Alumuku noted that despite the fact that radio Maria was owned by the Catholic Church, it's content of broadcast would be holistic.
"The NBC law allows that only 20 percent of programming in a day can be religious. So, we are going to remain at that level. And 20 percent of 24 hours is a little over 2 hours and if you do that of Catechism, of evangelism for 2 hours everyday, that's a whole lot already.
"So, it's not purely religious. Radio Maria programming is holistic. It's about education, culture, it's about the sufferings of the people. It's about the IDPs, and the people in IDP Camps. It's about politics, it's about religion, it's about faith as well. It's about social life, the life of the Church, the life of the people, the market, economy and all will be part and parcel of radio Maria".
The Communications expert believe that the radio station has a comparative advantage over other stations, assuring that the operations of the station would be guided strictly by the national ethics of broadcasting.
"Unlike other radio stations where you may hardly have a Christian program until Sundays, it's allowed by the NBC law to have a particular amount of religious broadcasting everyday".
He explained that the radio station would operate using its full digital equipment for easy access on various platforms across the globe.
"Radio Maria is fully digital because, this broadcast starting here is going to be listened to all over the world. First because, radio Maria wants to be able to monitor its programs in Italy, in Spain, from all over the world. Radio Maria is present in over 78 countries today and they monitor what is going on in all the stations in all the countries.
"So, anybody from Benue who wants to know what is happening from any part of the world will listen to us on our additional platforms on Radio Maria station here in Makurdi".
Fr. Alumuku said about 11 Catholic Dioceses across the country have secured broadcast licences from the National Broadcasting Commission, NBC to establish Radio Maria out stations in their domain.
"There are over 200 stations of radio Maria. For example, Nigeria has Abuja, Makurdi, Gboko, Jos, Kaduna, Ibadan, Benin. Then, we have a station in Onitsha, Enugu and Port Harcourt. So, that's eleven that we are beginning with.
Fr. Alumuku who is also the Director of Catholic Television of Nigeria equally gave an insight into the financial sustainability of radio Maria, adding that over 500 Million Naira was expended in funding the radio station.
"Radio Maria has successful financial model. First, those who run it are people who have been involved in business models that are successful. So, they encourage giving. As we give, God gives back to us. They don't make a profit. As such, but whatever is over above what they make, they use it to open new radio stations".
Speaking on the Catholic Television project, Fr. Alumuku expressed the hope that the station would be launched on DSTV Satellite by March next year considering the inflow of financial assistance from both within and outside the country.
"The response is on. It picked up slowly but we're getting close to our aim and we do believe that we will have enough money to get onto DSTV as we planned by Easter next year. We are getting support both from internally in Nigeria and internationally to help as well".
According to him, the Church was in dire need of about One Billion Naira to equip and obtain clear signals as well as deliver good quality production for the Television.
"You also need ancillary equipment. You need vehicles to carry crew members, you need to pay staff salaries, to buy diesel for generators, fuel for vehicles and maintenance. So, the idea for us at Catholic Television is to ensure that we have a stockpile of money to take off, and then Catholic Television uses advertisements. That's our policy and through the advertisements, as we become more visible, individuals and companies will patronize us and our program outlook will cover Africa and beyond so, sustainability will be realisable".
Vice President of Radio Maria worldwide, Deacon Michael Wielath commended the Catholic Diocese of Makurdi for the untiring efforts in ensuring the actualisation of the dream radio.
"I'm here to give a witness to our donors in Germany who supported Radio Maria in Nigeria, particularly here in Makurdi to open a new radio station. So, I will go home with many impressions to tell the people of Germany that radio Maria Makurdi is working".
Deacon Michael Wielath expressed the hope that the people of Benue State will benefit maximizimally from the joy of Radio Maria as an important medium of enhancing citizens’ engagement, promoting cultural values, education as well as deepening their faith in God.
Rev. Michael Wielath, a Permanent Deacon of the Catholic Church in Germany urged Christians in Nigeria to use Radio Maria to pray for Germany for more support and assistance.
"I want to witness that what I see here in Nigeria is deep faith, so, we need the Prayers of Nigerians too so that God can deepen our faith in Germany".
Also, the Vicar General Administration, Catholic Diocese of Makurdi, Rev. Fr. Professor Francis Wegh said the radio station would serve as an effective means of communication transcending the immediate borders of the Diocese.
"The impact of radio Maria will be quite overwhelming. Radio Maria will moralise the populace on the basis of Catholic ethics. One cannot imagine the benefits of this radio station. It took about 27 years of struggle to actualise this radio station. This shows the importance we will attach to radio Maria".
“Today the Catholic Diocese of Makurdi has set up our radio programmes to reach a broader geographical and demographic audience. Listeners all over the world can stream the radio programmes live from any part of the world and listen to us,” said Fr. Prof. Wegh.
