Entertainment Africa
Not many entertainment channels exist for the African child specifically and exclusively. Many times children on the continent grow up listening and watching content from Europe and America. Nigeria’s Rotimi Ogunjobi has started an internet radio station primarily for African children, a welcome achievement worth celebrating.
The station broadcasts education, entertainment and information content suitable for African children worldwide from kindergarten stage up to 8+ years old. File photo: Children in Accra, Ghana, play while observing closing ceremonies of Africa Endeavor 2010. Photo by U.S. Army Africa/Flickr
An internet radio targeting African children has been launched by Rotimi Ogunjobi, the founder of Aunti Mo Kids Radio. The radio was launched on Sunday and broadcasts for children from kindergarten to those above 8 years.
Ogunjobi in a statement said, “Auntie Mo Kids Radio, a pioneer of Internet Radio entertainment for children in Africa, announces its broadcasting schedule. Auntie Mo Kids Radio, is an all-positive internet radio station offering 24/7 children and parents oriented programmes. The station broadcasts education, entertainment and information content suitable for African children worldwide from kindergarten stage up to 8+ years old. Special daily spots also educate parents about the various ways to approach challenges relating to raising children. There’s no station like this one on the air in Africa.”
School children in Ethiopia: From left, Mekdes (8), Fikirte (6) and Alemtsehay (10). (Photo: Martha Tadesse)
The station seeks to promote educative and cultural programmes. The website features various authors and books. “Children will be able to access the programmes through multiple devices. Auntie Mo Kids Radio streams is free and can presently be played from the website and also from mobile devices. Through the power of smartphones and tablet devices, the young listeners will be able to enjoy music and entertainment wherever they are,” Ogunjobi said.
The internet radio runs identical daily schedules during the weekdays and also identical daily schedules on Saturday and Sunday.
Logo/ UNESCO
The radio can be downloaded as an app from Google store and iTunes were it can be streamed live. The importance of this step cannot be overemphasized, especially in a continent where children watch a lot of programmes that come from Europe and America. This might be the first step in owning our stories and telling our children our stories considering that the media is a powerful tool for reclamation of identity.
