TheCable

The senate has mourned Raymond Dokpesi, founder of DAAR Communications, and owner of African Independent Television (AIT) and RayPower.

Dokpesi’s death was announced on Monday. He was 71.

The upper legislative chamber asked the federal government to immortalise the late media mogul.

The resolution of the senate followed a motion sponsored by Francis Alimikhena, senator representing Edo north.

While eulogising him, Alimikhena said Dokpesi ventured into the media business at a time the industry was dominated by government outfits in the 1990s.

“In the early 1990s when Nigerian media was dominated by the government media only, he entered the Nigerian mass media industry with his company, DAAR Communications,” the senator said.

“He established the first independent radio station; Ray Power FM in 1993 and the first global satellite television station; AIT in Nigeria in 1996.”

Eyinnaya Abaribe, senator representing Abia south, said Dokpesi stood for the country by giving one of the key ingredients of democracy.

“For that, we must at all times always remember the late Dokpesi as the man that stood forward for Nigeria and gave us one of the key ingredients of democracy which is freedom of information,” Abaribe said.

“I say good night because good men are very rare. May God accept his soul.”

After the eulogies, the senate observed a one-minute silence in his honour.