| With Africa Waves Network,
we’ll tell the world Nigeria’s story – Rasak
Lawal
By YINKA FABOWALE
Wednesday,
October 10, 2007
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Rasak Lawal
Photo: SunNews Publishing
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If one has a first encounter with Mr. Rasak Lawal, one would
mistake him for an engineer. He talks about engineering just
as he is familiar with broadcasting, meteorology and satellite
communication.
Yet, Lawal trained as a social scientist. His background is
Political Science, although he served as computer analyst
to the World Meteorological Organisation, a United Nation’s
(UN) body, which he quit in 1979 to start a business career
that has so far blossomed and established him as one of Nigeria
’s successful entrepreneurs.
That is not the only thing that surprises you about Lawal.
The self-effacing business mogul, who sits atop Africa Waves
Network (AWN), a new direct-to-home satellite television services
provider, due to begin operation in Ibadan before year end,
is press-shy. He initially declined to grant an interview,
before being persuaded by this reporter and aides that as
a big player in the media, he has become a golden fish that
has no hiding place.
In this interview, he speaks about himself, his foray into
broadcasting, contributions as a silent player in the media
industry and his new pet project-AWN.
Engineering knowledge
I actually studied Political Science, but I am one who believes
in the dictum that "what you have to do, do it well".
In terms of satellite communication and broadcasting, it is
a matter of self education. When I was in the UN, I practically
learnt on the job. The same thing happened when I was dealing
in telecommunications. I used to climb the poles to the amazement
of some of our expatriate engineers. In the media profession,
I think I’ve been able to learn much that is necessary
for me to get by.
Foray into media and birth of AWN
It was Yanju Adegbite who came to me one night and said because
of my flair for the media I should invest in the business.
One of my passions is rotating my satellite dish to get information
from news feed before others. It was on one of such occasions
that I fell on Open Sky Satellite advert about internet by
satellite.
I then contacted my partner and together we made enquiries
from Eutelsat, which have 24 out of the 28 satellites in the
whole of Europe. During our enquiries, we learnt that they
also provide direct-to-home satellite and we quickly seized
that opportunity to address what was of interest to us. We
found an advantage to tap into an area that has never been
tapped before. That is providing satellite television service
from Africa to a global audience. That was how AWN was born.
We then applied to the Nigeria Broadcasting Commission (NBC)
for a licence which was granted. AWN has two arms-AWN International
and AWN Africa.
Motive behind AWN
Call me a patriotic Nigerian. Basically, what we are doing
is to project the image of Nigeria to the outside world. In
so doing, we’re hoping to cater for the entertainment
and information needs of Nigerians and Africans in the diaspora
and countering the western press representation of stories
about us in their own way. What we are launching is a bouquet
of different ethnic channels that’ll showcase the essence
of our people.
The western media would hardly say any good about us. If they
have to say anything at all, they would rather go to the slums
and all the rest. So, if we are able to correct the misperceptions
and stereotypes, we would have achieved our goal.
At the same time, we’ll not be biased. If there is any
wrong side, we’ll project it. But, we believe there
are so many good things to project about Africa , and the
cultures of its people.
For fame or wealth?
None of the two. I believe it is more of what can I do for
my country. At my age, I don’t think money should be
the yardstick for my existence. Fame? I am a quiet person
anyway. For me, I think it is more of the question of what
I am able to do for my country.
Before now, I’d set up Seve Lab. When I put it up, it
was to assist players in the entertainment industry. We were
giving them cameras and helping them with post production
facility at heavily subsidized rates. I didn’t take
any money, but kept investing because I believe I should contribute
to the industry, no matter how little. All Wemimo films, Baba
Faleti (Adebayo) films were done here. We can count about
500 films.
Viability of AWN
Even without the official launch, it has already been a success.
We have had an avalanche of requests from film content promoters
who are eager to take channels and airtime. There are also
vast possibilities for advertisers in the aviation, banking,
hospitality, courier and tourism industries to make use of
our platform to reach their targeted audience, particularly
now that banks are having branches in U.K and Europe.
Already, we’re talking with stakeholders-ITPAN, INTRANPAN
and the Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria, AAAN.
In Europe, we are being represented by U.K-based Afromedia
Distribution Network. They’ve done a lot of sensitization
campaign.
I must say we’ve also been blessed with excellent human
resource. We have on the project seasoned hands, such as Yanju
Adegbite, Bimbo Alagbe, Laolu Ogunniyi and Baba Faleti, who
are playing advisory role as consultants and content providers,
with exception of Yanju, who is the company’s M.D.
You will not believe it, when Prof. Wande Abimbola (former
vice-chancellor, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife) saw
what we were doing, he especially requested that we give him
a channel to address Brazillains, particularly of Yoruba origin.
He sees it as a medium for promoting Ifa, Yoruba culture and
cultural activities.
Funding
You won’t believe it, no bank in Nigeria gave us money
for this project. They did not believe in us. But you can’t
really blame them because our forerunners did not give them
a chance to believe in us. But when that happened, I swore
to myself that I would realize this project, no matter what
it costs. So, we were able to raise money through our partner
abroad. Now, everyone of them is coming to say, what can we
do for you.
Just like when Globalcom came, we all looked at him and laughed.
But Globalcom’s service became the first of its kind
and it has since grown to become a source of envy to other
network providers. Now, we have the same kind of thing in
AWN. If we don’t support our own, who do we want to
assist us?
Succession plan
Let me say this, I don’t have such, but I have two of
my children working with us on the project-Bimbo Laila, she
has a degree in the field and has gone for her master’s
programme in Television production. She is working with Sony
abroad. She is to be the Director of Programmes, then you
have Ahmed, who is collaborating with us as content provider.
But I am not a father that indulges his children by putting
them in positions they do not merit. It is not proper that
because I am involved, they’ll be coming in. Those who
are their bosses will not be made to quit for them or be made
their subordinates.
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