By; SADIQ ABUBAKAR, Maiduguri
UNICEF in collaboration with Goal Prime Organization Nigeria and Da Rerrafe Yaron Kan Tashi has trained a 15-year old blind boy, Bakura Muhammad for six months to become a newscaster and journalist in future to mark World Children Day 2022.
The child who lives in London Viki area of Maiduguri metropolis with his father, lost his mother when he was one month.
He is presently an SSS I student with Borno State Special School (formerly Borno State Deaf and Blind School), located at Madagascar area of Maiduguri where he started his education or schooling from primary 1 to 6 and JSS 1 to 3 before being promoted and admitted into SSS 1 by the same school.
In an interview with Bakura Muhammad immediately after his broadcast of the World Children Day at Al Ansar FM 96.1 Radio Station located along Circular Giwa Barracks Road, Maiduguri on Monday , he said, “I am inspired by the manner and honesty, attitude of my father. I can say to his small radio listening to news daily in the morning, in the afternoon and evening.
“He also listens to the radio especially the Hausa service news of BBC, VOA, RFI, DW and even others in the night around 8pm upto 11pm before going to sleep.
“This inspired me to develop interest in news and I made up my mind that whenever I grow up, I will be a newscaster with a television or radio station purposely to cast news as a journalist.
“So, I made the decision to become a journalist, particularly, a newscaster with radio or television station. And what encouraged me more was the news I once heard on radio or television that two physically challenged students, a male and a female were admitted into different courses at University of Maiduguri studying Mass Communication”, Bakura said.
He also explained that to cast news in any TV or radio station, despite his physical. challenge as a blind child, is a dream that he wants to materialize, while expressing joy and appreciation to UNICEF, Da Rerrafe Yaron Kan Tashi, Goal Prime Organization Nigeria, Al Ansar FM Radio and Global Partner on Education, which are sponsoring or funding the programme that UNICEF initiated or developed and Goal Prime Organization Nigeria is implementing in collaboration since June 2022 to date.
According, to Bakura, his ambition has already received the blessings and approval or consent of his beloved father, who motivated him to dedicate himself to the training being organized for . children by UNICEF and training as well as rehearsals by Goal Prime Organization Nigeria in conjunction with Da Rerrafe Yao Kan Tashi which the programe is funded by the Global Partnership for Education.
He called on children to go to school to learn or be educated, while urging those already schooling to dedicate themselves to the pursuance of their education and career as future leaders of the state and country at large.
The test run or newscasting done by Bakura was at the Al Ansar FM Radio Station Maiduguri at 11am on Monday Live on air, to the admiration of the officials of UNICEF, Goal Prime Organization Nigeria, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) and staff of Al Ansar FM Radio Station.
