
Diamond FM (Nigeria)

DIAMOND 101.1 FM is the community radio station of the University of Ibadan in Nigeria. The Station was officially opened on 30 October 2008 by the Executive governor of Niger State, Dr. Mu'azu Babangida Alliu, as part of activities marking the 60th Anniversary of the University.
The station is received by listeners in the city of Ibadan and nearby towns and cities. The station adopted the tag "Promoting Values and Excellence" and it is located in the Media Centre of the University of Ibadan.
Media crew.
The station Director is Louisa Andah, a lecturer in the Department of Communication and Language Arts of the university of Ibadan.<br> 
The senior executive officer/Programmes Manager is Paul Anthony Emokhare.<br> 
The initiative that produced the radio station emanated from a discussion between the acting Head of Department of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development [Dr. A. A. Ladele] and Dr. M. K. Yahaya, in 2005, on the need to adopt the briefcase radio facility as a tool to disseminate improved farm technologies to farmers within the catchment of the University. It was immediately reasoned that a more robust facility for the use of the entire University would suffice.
Dr F.K. Sanwo of the Department of Forest Resources Management (who later relocated to Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ogun State) submitted a proposal for a Campus Radio Station in 1984 but it did not come to reality. In 1988, Dr Matthew Umukoro of the Department of Theatre Arts also made another attempt that successful owing to lack of funds. It was then thought that radio can indeed assist in checking incessant students’ unrest on campus.
Professor Ayo Falase agreed to the proposal from the acting Head of the Department of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development requesting him to constitute a committee to come up with a detailed proposal with the cost implications. The call to various Department/Unit Heads for representatives gave rise to the UI Community Radio Project Committee. This committee worked assiduously to put together a realistic proposal. The radio project implementation however did not commence before Professor Ayo Falase completed his term as Vice Chancellor. During Professor Olufemi Bamiro’s tenure as Vice Chancellor, the project progressed rapidly due to his keen interest in the project. With the engagement of Sound Broadcast Communications under the leadership of Engineer S. Friday Aizeboje, the radio project was completed in July 2008, ready for test transmission.
The radio station was designed to be student-friendly, volunteer-driven, inclusive and interactive by providing opportunities for members of the university community to share knowledge, ideas and expertise relating to the University of Ibadan. The name, logo and call phrase of the radio station were sourced competitively through invitation widely advertised in the University Bulletin. A final-year student’s Segun Michael entry from the Department of Human Kinetics, Faculty of Education won the prize for the station’s name and Sambo Mohammed devised the call-phrase.
To mark the 60th anniversary of the University, the station was named “Diamond FM” with the call phrase “promoting values and excellence”.
The station came up with the mission statement “to position itself powerfully in the University community and its immediate environ and to make positive impacts for the good of all”.
Diamond FM was formally commissioned at a ceremony on 30 October 2008 by the Chief Servant and Executive Governor of Niger State, Alhaji Muazu Babangida Aliyu. The Chairman for the occasion was Prof. Olufemi Adebisi Bamiro, Vice Chancellor of the University then. Before the commissioning, there was a 10-week period of test transmission run mainly with three voices – Obafemi Folorunso, a member of the installation team and two Youth Corps members – Fola Folayan (female) and Olanrewaju Bright Kolade (male).
Below is the list of the 16-member UI Radio implementation committee:
Dr. A. A. Ladele (now Professor) - Department of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development as Chairman
Dr. E. O. Soola (Department of Communication and Language Arts)
Dr. Duro Adekele (Department of Linguistics)
Dr. F.A. Abimbade (Department of Teacher Education)
Engr. A. R. Subair (Department of Electrical/Electronic Engineering)
Dr. A. O. Raji (Management Information System)
Prof. L. O. Albert (Inst. of African Studies/Peace & Conflict Study Project)
Mr. Kunle Ogunsola (Distance Learning Centre)
Dr. A. D. Okediran (Department of Adult Education)
Dr. Rasheed Okunola (Department of Sociology)
Dr. John Oladeji (Department of Agric Extension and Development)
Mrs. L. B. Andah Department of Communication and Language Arts) - Co-opted Member
Dr. B. A. Laninhun (Dept. of Communication and Language Arts) -Co-opted Member
Dr. Nike Akinjobi (Department of English) – Co-opted member
Alagba Adebayo Faleti - External Member
Mrs. V. O. Ogundola/Mr. P. C. Okeleke?/Mr. A. A. Oje (Registry) – Secretary.
Two years after the opening of the station, the Committee was dissolved by the Vice Chancellor, Prof. O. A. Bamiro and a Board instituted for the Radio Station was established with membership as follows:
Prof. E. A. Bamgboye succeeded by
Prof. Arinola Sanya - DVC-(Admin), Chairperson
Mr Olujimi Olukoya - Registrar 
Prof. O. O. Akinyinka - Provost, College of Medicine 
Prof. Olu Owolabi - Dean Faculty of Arts
Prof. A. O. Olorunnisola - Dean, Post Graduate School
Prof. A. E. Falaye - Dean of Students
Engr. Jacob K. Ajibola - Director of Works
Prof. Bayo Okunade - Director, Distance Learning Centre
Prof. Isaac O. Albert - Director, Institute of African Studies
Dr. Sola Olorunyomi - Director, University Media Centre
Dr Louisa B. Andah - Director, Diamond Radio
Dr Ayo Ojebode - Ag. Head, CLA Department
Prof. A. A. Ladele - Head, Agric Extension Department
Mr P. S. O. Taiwo - External Member
Mr Abraham Oladipupo - President, Union of Campus Journalists
Mr Akintayo W. Ganiyu - Diamond Radio – Secretary
The pioneer Director of the Radio Station was Dr. Louisa Bassey Andah of the Department of Communication and Language Arts in the University and member of the Radio Implementation Committee. Mrs. Andah was initially appointed Station Coordinator with effect from 01/11/2008. This position was later re-designated to another Director with effect from 01/09/10. The Station started with some Ad-hoc staff namely: Obafemi Folorunso, the Technical Officer, Emmanuel Idubor, the Station Assistant and Foluke Falayi, a Trainee Announcer. Later, a regular Senior Staff, Paul-Anthony Emokhare was employed as the Programmes Officer. The number of regular staff has since grown to include the station driver - Mr. Lateef G. Omoowo, Station Secretary - Mr. Akintayo W. Ganiyu and the Station Engineer – Mr. Babajide Ajibade. Others are Mr. Kunle Adesope and Mr. Jeleel Bakare as Studio Officers and Mr. Eyitayo Folorunso as Presenter/Announcer. Mrs. Foluke Owolabi's appointment as Presenter/Announcer was also regularized.
Many volunteers continue to join and exit as new sessions come and go and auditions hold twice a year as and when announced. Now in its 4th year of existence, the Station has held two key programmes to mark its 1st and 2nd anniversaries. The first anniversary with the theme ‘DIAMOND RADIO, JEWEL IN THE IVORY TOWER’ was held to create an awareness for the members of the community about the presence of the Radio Station and its importance and relevance. To mark this occasion, a public lecture titled ‘The community radio imperative in UI’ was delivered on Tuesday, 3 November 2009 by Prof. Joel Adeyanju of the University of Ife. Venue was the Trenchard Hall. The occasion was very well attended with many dignitaries including the Deputy Vice Chancellor DVC (Administration) Prof. Elijah Bamgboye. Chairman of the occasion was the Vice – Chancellor, Prof. Olufemi Bamiro FNSE, FAS. Father of the day was the Olubadan of Ibandan-land represented by Senator Lekan Alabi.
The 2nd anniversary was marked on Monday, 29 November 2010 with the flag-off of a 200 bicycle eco-friendly transport project tagged ‘Ride-a-Bicycle-on-Campus’, an initiative of Dr. Andah. A University Bicycle Committee was set up by the new Vice Chancellor, Prof. Isaac Folorunso Adewole with membership comprising:
Director, Sports Centre
Director, Diamond Radio
Director of Physical Planning
Director of Works
Chief Security Officer
Chairman, ICTC
Dean of Students
Internal Audit Staff
Director, UHS
Assets and Insurance Staff
Chairman, Committee of Hall Wardens
Chairman, FRSC, U.I.
Student Union Sports Director
Secretary, Diamond Radio
A re-launch on 11 August 2011 by the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Isaac F. Adewole set the project in full motion. The project which was fully sponsored by the University also received initial take-off support from Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB) as well as 7-UP Bottling Company. The Diamond FM Bicycle Working Committee membership included:
Engr. Babajide Ajibade
Engr. Kunle Adesope
Engr. Jeleel Bakare
In June 2010, the Station collaborated with the BBC African Service for the coverage of the Ibadan arm of her West African Sensitization Tour for the flag-off of the FIFA World Cup in South Africa. At Present, the Station has international programming partnership agreements with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), Radio Netherlands and Deutche Welle.
The Station is about 92% volunteer-driven. Transmission is 8.00 a.m. – 8.00 p.m. (12 hours daily, 84 hours weekly, 2 shifts a day.)
PROGRAMMES:
Distance Learning Programmes – 16 – 18 hours weekly (21%)
Domestic Productions + News – 59%
Foreign/External Programmes – 20%
In the fourth quarter of 2012, the University established an IT & MS Unit as an umbrella body thus merging the radio station with other media services and IT units in the community. Headed by Dr. A. S. O. Ogunjuyigbe as Acting Director. The Chairperson of the IT Board is Prof. (Mrs.) Nike Osofisan. There are four directorates namely Management Information System (MIS), IT Hardware & Infrastructure, Training and Research as well as the University Media Centre headed by Dr. Sola Olorunyomi. With the merger, both Dr. Sola Olorunyomi and Dr. Louisa Andah ceased to be directors of UMC and Diamond Radio respectively. Each of the four departments is now headed by an Assistant Director. Diamond Radio which is joined with the University Media Centre has Mr. Ropo Ewenla as the Assistant Director.