Meet di man wey dey call radio stations everiday for 17 years
For most pipo, wen dem wake up for morning, di first tin wey dem dey do na to press phone, see wetin be di latest for social media.
For many parts of Africa, radio dey very popular But for Rabiu Akalta, di first tin im dey do wen im wake up, na to turn on im small radio set. Akalta na name wey many pipo for Kano State, northwest Nigeria sabi because for 17 years now im be regular to call into radio programs for di state. "For 17 years now, I dey spend over N1500 every day to call each of di stations wey dey Kano. I don promise myself say dis na my own way to contribute to issues wey dey affect my state," im tok. Akalta na President for Kano State Association of Radio Callers wey get over 100 members and im tell BBC News Pidgin say everyday im and e members dey call all di 17 radio stations for di state to contribute to one program or anoda. Kano State Radio Callers Association don dey exist for 15 years now and dem dey even meet every week to discuss which programs deserve dia contributions pass so dat dem go put moni wey dem dey use buy recharge card to good use. Rabiu Akalta na presido of Kano State Radio Callers Association Di presido yan say some of di programs wey im dey call pass na 'Daga Karkaran mu' wey dey discuss problems wey rural pipo for Kano dey face and political program 'Ko wane Gauta' wey dey give ordinary pipo like am voice to tok to pipo wey dey govern dem. Di callers association dey also do charity work according to Akalta as e be say every month dem dey buy things go give motherless babies homes or prison pipo. "Radio calling na my way of life and na im make me become popular for Kano, anybody wey on radio a day must hear my name even if e no know me for face." Bello Nura wey be presenter for Freedom FM Kano say im know di name Rabiu Akalta even before e start work six years ago. "Dis na my sixth year as presenter for Freedom FM, I dey handle one program wey dem dey call Taskira. Akalta na always di first pesin to call each time we open telephone to callers, so I know am well well. E like to dey always contribute to programs on Radio." About di recent scandal wey Kano govnor Umar Ganduje dey face about corruption, Akalta tok say e don air im view on different radio shows about wetin suppose happun. "Wetin I tok be say make di state assembly do dia job well and if afta di investigations dem find di govnor guilty, make dem punish am like any oda pesin wey commit." Akalta wey say e dey also call international stations like Radio France and VOA say e hope say young pipo go show interest for development issues wey dey affect dem even if na true radio calling as im dey do.