Dr. Raymond Dokpesi Chairman of Africa Independent Television (AIT) whose foray into broadcasting changed the face of the industry in Nigeria and black Africa made some shocking revelations about himself recently. Hear him; “When TV broadcasting licences were allocated, I was supposed to be in Abuja. I applied to be in Abuja just as Triple Heritage, which was suspected to be owned by IBB at that time. Aikhomu struck out AIT licence on the grounds that it should not compete with Triple Heritage. That’s not the only aspect of it. You will probably get to know that I was to be appointed the first Director-General of what is today the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency.

I was invited to Abuja from the UK to be sworn in. But on the very day, General Babangida said because he was involved in ECOWAS matters, we should go to Lagos and wait for him. We went to Lagos and I was seated waiting to be invited and sworn in when B.U Ekong was announced as the director-general. My kinsman, Aikhomu, said I would become the DG over his dead body. We became very close thereafter. That’s life. I will also tell you that I brought the first set of tankers to carry crude oil, got two ships in. General Babangida had given approval. Thank God Professor Aminu Jibril, who was Minister of Petroleum at that time, is alive.