ONE ON ONE WITH MURPHY IJEMBA OF BRILA FM

How has the journey been for you?

The journey has been quite interesting. My journey to broadcasting started from Kano State, that is Bayero University, Kano. That was where I studied BSc. Accounting. During my third year we had the Students’ Union Government (SUG) Week so we did a presentation at Daar Communication Ltd i.e. AIT and Raypower at the center in Kano. I led the team and we had a great conversation with the audience and listeners on that day. One of their staff approached me and said; “we love your diction, attitude and character.” So the staff asked, why don’t you do something for us on radio. So I said I have a special passion for sports and said let’s give you a chance since the man in charge has traveled. And that was how my career started.

People love Murphy Ijemba on Radio and you seem to have a lot of followership, how did you come about this?

What did the magic is simple when talk to people in the language they understand. Sure they will love you and what you are doing. But when you try to be like Dan Foster for instance, you want to speak in a foreign accent even though you have no visa let alone traveled out of the country. You have lived all your life in Mushin, Ajegunle, Surulere etc. you speak your local language in the normal way. But when you come on air you start speaking like a “Londoner.” So I said look let’s speak to people in the language they understand let’s go down to the level. “Omo Iya mi bawo ni” “yaya gida” Ke du” a language both old and young, rich and poor even the almajiri can comprehend.

Does this mean we should forget the English Language?

You know what? I have been to Zambia, South Africa and other countries. They speak English but with their own mother tongue (accent) that is what I am saying. I am not saying we should not speak English I am saying we should speak it with our own mother tongue not by copying white men’s tongue. The audience I try to appeal to are not those that are “Londoners or New Yorkers,” but they are normal people and I send the right messages. Market woman or man in Alaba, Oshodi or Lagos Island will understand local languages or the English you speak with your own mother tongue not phonetics. In China they speak Chinese not English and they are doing well. For instance Wazobia FM is the highest earning radio station today alongside other radio stations, but it is the number, because of what? It has come down to the level of the masses.

What will you say to encourage people about reading?

I interact with people a lot, either one on one or via the internet. They all have love for education, they want to go to school, but sometimes the economy does not encourage that.

Should that be an excuse for not having education?

I think we need to start from the bottom. During my days in secondary school, I sat for Yoruba Language in the examination and my best result in WAEC was A3 in Yoruba Language. I said earlier that in Chinathey don’t speak English and they are doing well. Let everybody be grounded in his or her language, as long as they can communicate with it clearly. I think we have depended too much on English and that is a major problem. Everybody wants to sound like “Oyinbo” (White men) that we are not.

Are you saying we should borrow a leaf from China?

Yes, I know a Chinese man will not speak English like an American and an Igbo man that was born in London cannot speak like that born in Onitsha. Lets us go back to the bases. If you can communicate well in the local language, why not; if you can manufacture an aircraft using Yoruba Language, why not. My take is that as long as it is a progressive thing that can make man a better person, let us bring in our local languages into what we are doing.

Can you share your experience with us while in school?

I remember my primary school, St. Martins Primary School, Mushin Olosa. At the back of the school there was a school farm where yam, cassava and maize were planted. It was a nice experience looking at the farm through the window again, in such a school in Mushin where everything goes, you get to fight for yourself, the courage, the never-say-die attitude, that “mi o ni gba” spirit while others are giving up you say no I am not going back without achieving anything.

How can we combine education with sports effectively?

The marriage between education and sports in vital. Take football, for example, where every youth wants to play for Man U, Barca and many others, but we can start by having educational sports facilities all over the country. If you want to play football you should be able to school as well. In the morningyou go to school and in the evening you go for football practice. This is what happens in Europe that is making them produce the talents we see on a daily basis.

What is your advice for those in school?

I have only one thing to say: be yourself, be creative, don’t try to copy anybody, do something new, that creativity is in you. Bring it out let the world see it. I started with AIT and Raypower FM in Kano where I worked for eight good months without getting paid! There is no short way to glory and two wrongs will never make a right. Youths nowadays want success over night, which is dangerous. Basically, I try to let people know that if you are hardworking, and you are focused your success is guaranteed; there is no other way to it.