The hitherto moribund Ihievbe station of the Edo Broadcasting Service (EBS) will soon be back in full operations following a successful trial run of the reactivated facility after 10 years of dormancy. The abandoned station had served the people of Edo North senatorial district of Edo State before it went under.
This was disclosed in a statement on Tuesday by the managing director and editor-in-chief of the Edo State-owned broadcasting outfit, Sulaiman Aledeh, ace broadcaster.
Announcing the bouncing back of the station after a decade of being in limbo, the MD was excited about the timing of its rebirth.
He said “Notably, this resurgence comes just shy of 100 days into Governor Okpebholo’s tenure, highlighting a quick turnaround and a commitment to development. Once fully activated, the station will cater to a diverse audience by broadcasting in local Edo languages, major Nigerian languages, and Pidgin English, ensuring accessibility and inclusivity”. According to him, “The future looks bright for EBS and the communities it serves”.
Aledeh lamented that for years, the station had faced challenges that hampered its core mandate of informing, educating, and entertaining the residents of Edo State, stressing that the situation was worsened by the leasing out of the relay station in Edo Central, located in Uromi, by the previous administration, which rendered it impossible for EBS to utilise the facility effectively.
Describing the revitalisation of the Ihievbe station as not only a victory for the broadcasting service, Aledeh said it is also a testament to the commitment of the Edo State government to enhance communication, foster community engagement, and promote local culture.
Recall that on December 22, 2024, Aledeh had visited the comatose facility on the directive of Governor Okpebholo to assess the situation and come up with plans to revitalise and activate it.
And following a successful test run weeks after, Aledeh said in his statement, “Today, a historic milestone has been achieved for the Okpebholo administration, as the Ihievbe station broadcast its successful test run, signaling the imminent completion of necessary refurbishments. After being off the air for a decade, the excitement in the community is palpable.”
The EBS MD was optimistic that while some aspects were yet to be finalised, the remaining work required to keep the station fully operational would be completed in the coming days.
While calling on key stakeholders, particularly local government administrators, to play an active role in supporting the return of EBS Ihievbe, Aledeh underscored the importance of ensuring the security of staff and equipment, as well as stabilising power supply to facilitate seamless operations.
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