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Olamide Abe
The 400 level students of Physics department, Centre for Degree Programmes, Federal College of Education, Abeokuta in affiliation with University of Ibadan on Tuesday made history as they unveil the first radio station in the institution, PlatformTimes reports.
The radio station is a final year project (PHY 497) of the 22 degree students of the department under the supervision of Dr. S. O. Ogundipe with a frequency 103.4.
The previous projects of students of the department are solar inverters, digital LCD display, multi station satellite dish with 400 free-to-air stations and movement detectors.
Ogundipe highlighted the challenges faced by the researchers and the effects of Covid-19 on this particular project before his decade-old dream can come to pass.
The Physics Head of Department, Engineer K. O. Fatoba also expressed his delight while test running the radio station.
Also in attendance were all the lecturers in the department, the Dean School of Science, the Coordinator and Director of CEDEP representing the Acting Provost, former two-time bursar of Adeyemi College of Education, a representative from Sweet FM, examiner from MAPOLY’s physics department, among others.
While representing the Acting Provost, Dr. R. A. Soyele who was unavoidably absent, Dr. M. F. Aderanti expressed delight of the institution’s management.
In her words, “I feel so glad with this achievement by our students in FCE Abeokuta, especially the Degree students. I am on top of the world today that this great thing is happening to our dear students.
“On behalf of the the Acting Provost, Federal College of Education, Abeokuta, I officially launch and name this radio station as NAPS 103.4 FM.
“We are called an affiliated school but there is nothing those at the main campus in Ibadan can do that those here can’t. Affiliation is not a setback, it depends on the [orientation] of the students and the lecturers.
“Sky is never the limit. I express my appreciation to the entire staffs of Physics department because this is as a result of their collaborative effort.” she concluded.
PLATFORM TIMES gathered that Campus radio stations are generally licensed and regulated by national governments, and have very different characteristics from one campus to the other.
Programmes in the station will be exclusive by the students and presenters from the wider community in which the radio station is based with the purpose of training not just teachers but professional radio personnel through broadcasting of educational programming.
In lieu of this, the Executive President of National Association of Physics Students (NAPS), who doubles as OAP for Jordan 105.5 FM in Lagos, Comrade Olasoji Lawoye shed light on the future of their history making project.
“The radio is already working [on air] but we can’t do more than 100 kilometers which is just around the school because of NBC sanction.
We hope the College can take full charge of the project, work on a bigger transmitters and general improvement of the studio before it is being run by the students and staffs of the College.” Olasoji concluded.
