TheCable

Benson Idonije, renowned broadcaster, music critic and grandfather of popular hip hop act Burna boy, has been appointed a fellow of the Adam Fiberesima School of Music and Conservatory (AFSM) of the University of Port Harcourt.

The septuagenarian broadcaster was informed of the appointment in a letter signed by Joseph Ajienka, vice chancellor of the school.

According to the letter, the recognition was based on Idonije’s “commitment to the development of classical and indigenous music not only in Nigeria but throughout the West African region”. The honour, it states, entitles Idonije to “use the insignia FAFSM (or Fellow, AFSM).

Born in 1936, Idonije studied communication engineering at Yaba College of Technology, Lagos. He joined the service of the Nigeria Broadcasting Corporation (later Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, FRCN) in 1957 as Engineering Assistant but moved to mainstream broadcasting in 1960, when he became a producer and presenter of such famous programmes as the The Big Beat and Stereo Jazz Club.

After retirement from the FRCN in 1992, Benjay, as he is fondly called, began contributing critiques, opinions and commentaries to many major Arts-related journals in Nigeria and abroad. In 1996, he was formally invited by The Guardian (Nigeria) to write for the newspaper; and he maintained three columns every week – ‘Evergreen’ (Wednesdays), ‘Sound and Screen’ (Fridays), and ‘All that Jazz’ (Sundays).

Late last year, Idonije, who was Fela Ransome-Kuti’s colleague at the then Nigeria Broadcasting Service and subsequently his first manager, released the pre-edition of his monumental memoir, DIS FELA SEF: The Untold Legends of Fela Anikulapo-Kuti. The book, which he started writing six years ago as a recollection of his exclusive moments with the Afrobeat legend, is expected to be released later this year.

Aside writing frequently in newspapers and other international music journals, Idonije also maintains a busy schedule as a broadcast trainer and consultant to many broadcast organisations and music institutions in the country.

The University of Port Harcourt appointment letter enjoined Idonije to “do his best in propagating and immortalizing the musical legacies of our heroes past, whose ideals, talents, philosophies and structural standardization of African music have remained a pilgrimage to many enthusiasts”.