Oji Onazi: Celebrating A Quintessential Broadcast Professional

By Ernest Omoarelojie

If there are better ways this write knows of that can aptly capture the image of ace broadcaster, Oji Onazi, as a professional broadcaster, he would go for it without thinking twice. Left without one, it becomes very appealing to adopt the picture that aptly paint the image of a good wine-the older it is, the better the quality.

Onazi is a year older today, professionally waxing stronger and better. That explains why, even though she does not know this writer from Adam, he holds the view that putting up a piece to celebrate her is akin to admitting the effects of a lullaby on the ears. There is hardly anyone that can deny such effects. A little background story would provide a better perspective. 

This writer had the first encounter with Onazi for the first as an undergraduate preparing for one of those tough semester examinations. Mid way into burning the proverbial night oil, he got so bored, hardly getting anything useful from the books before him. The option was to leave the reading room of his hall of resident (talk about the great Zik Hall, University of Ibadan) and go back to his room, obviously hoping he'd be able to take a few hours nap to reset his tired brain. Unfortunately, sleep eluded him, forcing him to go for the next option-listen to some soft music.

While fiddling with the digital buttons of the cassette player/radio someone gifted him a few months earlier, he accidentally turned on the radio. A quick search stopped the dial on Ray Power 100.5FM, broadcasting from Lagos. 

Then he heard the anchor’s voice, virtually urging for the don't-turn-this-dial message without actually voicing it. It was compelling, serene, soothing while also carrying a musical tinge and pitch for such a late hour show. Yet, beyond its soothing serenity, the voice also captured the image of a thorough-bred profession whose grasp and understanding of issues raised by callers was magical. Not least was her engaging manner and pick of music, both of which were were top notch. There is no prize guessing what he made of the combination but it was like, what da heck!

Incidentally, she was on ‘Quiet Storm’, an audience call-in programme. If this writer's hunch served him right, her experience that late night would probably remain as one she would not be able to forget even in a hurry. It was the same for this writer. As a matter of fact, the discussion that ensued was his first real life encounter on the subject matter.

The young man didn't talk about any of the usual troubled relationships, going or gone South. He called to talk about his sexual orientation. He said he was a homosexual. He told Onazi that he was gay but didn't want anyone, particularly his mother to know about it. Of course he didn't have the nerve to come straight with her, the reason, according to him, was that the poor woman would be shattered. To get around her, he put up a facade by keeping a girlfriend, an affair he loathed. 

Onazi was taken aback. But she was most professional about it, nudging and edging him to open up more about himself and what led him into homosexuality. She didn’t get so much information as he was rather elusive, very evasive. However, this writer was certain the young man found her a non-judgemental listener who also offered him some counselling on the need to get straight with those who deserved to know his real status-including his girl friend and particularly, his mother. It was a delicate matter Onazi handled with delicate finesse 

Somehow, Onazi disappeared from the South West broadcast scene. In no time, this writer lost interest in Quiet Storm. It wasn't the same afterwards not because any of those who took over from her weren't good in their own right. None measured up to the professional standard she left. That way, she became the yardstick this writer had for measuring the quality of an ideal broadcaster and On-Air Personality, OAP. 

Understanding any listener’s fixation to voices like that of Onazi is not difficult to fathom. This is particularly so in an era where the ultimate qualification for an OAP is the ability to adopt a Wannabes facetious American accent that is more of a distraction. That is in addition to their atrocious grasp of the rules of the English Language, including diction. However, anyone that has beheld Onazi's serene, soothing and golden voice, her handling of her programmes would know the difference. To that extent, raising the glass to toast her as a wordsmith would amount to a fait accompli.

Onazi had this way of making listeners want to have a little inch of her grasp of the English language, the diction, her word control and precision of use. Such was the awe this writer experienced listener to her on radio until she disappeared from the South West axis of Ray Power.

Surprisingly, he heard Onazi’s voice again some three odd decades+ later. It was still on Ray Power 100.5FM, Abuja, the nation’s capital. Not unexpectedly, she had not lost any of her beautiful broadcast edges-serene, soothing and golden voice made more compelling by her uncanny ability to hold listeners spellbound throughout the duration of all her programmes. A few minutes with her on her Sunday programme will explain the point better. In particular, her prayer points are apt, delivery spot-on, concise and pinpointed. For all the world, this writer is still of the view that she is the ultimate OAP present generation of radio presenters should look up. She is the ultimate thorough-bred professional worth celebrating for holding the banner so well and for so long.

Bravo and Happy Birthday, Oji Onazi