History of Osun State Broadcasting Corporation (OSBC)
Osun State Broadcasting Corporation( OSBC) came into being shortly after the creation of Osun State on the 27th August,1991.
The pioneer staff were mainly former staffers of Broadcasting Corporation Of Oyo (BCOS )of the old Oyo State who are Osun indigenes.
Chief John Arolagbade Fademi who was the General Manager of BCOS before the creation of Osun State became the General Manager of OSBC.
The Corporation’s First baby was the Radio Osun which kicked off on 25th November, 1991 at the Oke Itase Ile Ife booster station, a former booster station of BCOS.
The Radio Station and studio were at Oke Itase in lle- life while the Administrative and other departments operated initially from the Presidential Hotel in Osogbo. In those days, the old but now defunct Trans Motel Ile-Ife served as the production centre for the Corporation’s News and Programmes departments.
Shortly after, The government secured an office complex at Kings Square, along Ikirun road Osogbo. It is a three floor building by every means the tallest in Osogbo as at then. The building served OSBC from 1992 to 1999 when the organization finally moved to its permanent headquarters at Oke-Baale, along Ibokun road, Osogbo.
The Television arm of OSBC started on the first anniversary of the State on 27th August,1992 in Ibokun, a town 17 km from Osogbo, the state capital.
This development resulted in the appointment of General Managers for OSBC Radio Service and its Television Service .
The General Managers were Mr Kayode Ajibade for the Radio Service and Prince Wole Oyebamiji as GM Television Service.
While the two General Managers were operating from the headquarters, the Radio station was transmitting on 89.5 FM from Ile Ife. The television service had its transmission from Ibokun headquarters of Obokun local government on channel 22 UHF.
The Radio service later in early 1993 moved from lle-lfe to lta-Akogun in Osogbo still on 89.5 FM.
Osun Military Administrator, then Navy Captain Anthony Udofia, laid the foundation of the permanent headquarters at Oke Baale Ibokun road, Osogbo in 1995.
Upon its completion, the two services Radio and Television moved their administrative headquarters to Oke-Baale, lbokun road in 1999.
In January 2000, the Governor of Osun State, Chief Adebisi Akande merged the two services into one, with a General Manager. Prince Sanya Adegbayibi was appointed General Manager.
Upon his retirement, the government of Chief Bisi Akande open up the General Manager position in an advert to the public.
Prince Adeyeye Oyedokun became the General Manager in January 2003.
The Government of Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola that took over from Chief Akande, upgraded OSBC to a conglomerate with OSBC Radio Orisun 89.5 FM basically transmitting only in Yoruba language while the Television in Ibokun channel 22 UHF became New Dawn TV for Education and Agriculture.
The Radio and Television in Osogbo the headquarters became Living-Spring FM 104.5 FM and Channel 32 UHF Television in Osogbo.
The government of Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola also in 2006 started work on resuscitating the long abandoned Iwo Broadcasting Village which later gave birth to Reality RadioVision Iwo in January 2008. Before then the administration had changed the headship of the broadcast outfit from that of General Manager to Director General to make it commensurate with the organization’s conglomerate status.
On the 29th of May 2023, Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Nurudeen Jackson Adeleke approved the status of the Director General to a Permanent Secretary status. Mr. Rasheed kayode Folaranmi the sitting Head of the Broadcast outfit, the first to be addressed as Director General/ Permanent Secretary.
Osun State Broadcasting Corporation (OSBC) Ile Awiye has as its official pay off, ” Voice of the West” .
So far the following person’s have served the organization in headship capacity. They are Chief John Fademi, Mr Kayode Ajibade, Prince Wole Oyebamiji, Prince Sanya Adegbayibi and Prince Adeyeyeye Oyedokun as GM.
The past Director Generals are Prince Adeyeye Oyedokun, Engr.Samson Oyebanji, Prince Adesoji Fadehan, Mr. Adewale Idowu, Mr Olusanjo Owoaje and Mrs Adejumoke Akinjiola.
The first Director General & Permanent Secretary of the Conglomerate is Mr. Rasheed Folaranmi.
Mrs. Jolaade Victoria Igbaroola is the sitting Director General & Permanent Secretary of the Conglomerate.