Faze thrills as Delta FM celebrates 5th anniversary

From Paul Osuyi, Asaba

Nigerian R&B singer, Chibuzor Oji, popularly known as Faze, stunned his audience with a scintillating performance in Asaba, Delta State during the 5th year anniversary of Bridge Radio.

Faze, formerly of the defunct Plantashun Boiz fame, got the capacity filled hall standing as he performed his 2008 hit track, Originality.

Even the governor of Delta State, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, an awardee for good governance at the ceremony, was forced off his seat as he danced to the rhythm of the music.

Okowa who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Ovie Agas at the ceremony, is hardly moved to the dance floor by contemporary R&B music.

Welcoming guests earlier at the event, Chief Executive Officer of Bridge Radio which a subsidiary of Messgewise Limited, Dr. Henry Nzekwu said he was inspired to set up the station by the desire to instigate development through the power of radio as a tool of mass communication in Nigeria.

Nzekwu said given the multi-linguistic and multi-ethnic nature of Delta, there was need to bridge the gap in highlighting and consequently addressing the shared interests, issues and aspirations of the people.

He added: We also set out to provide jobs to talented young people in the media industry by creating a platform dedicated to providing meaningful engagement with the people and the government.

“We have been privileged to advance our cause by providing true to life and fit for purpose programmes driven by talented media practitioners and on-air personalities who have successfully connected with the audience and have essentially become repositories of information as they bring to the fore various issues in the everyday life of the citizens.”

He disclosed that as part of efforts to promote culture, dedicated programmes have be deliberately infused to give voice to the host Anioma people “by promoting the language, amplifying the culture and rich history as well as introducing news in Pidgin English and Urhobo which are predominantly spoken in Delta State.”

Acknowledging the challenges in operating the station in the last five years, Nzekwu commended his staff, relatives and other stakeholders for their respective roles in surmounting the challenges particularly during the outbreak of COVID-19.