In this interview with Straightnews, Comrade Anietie Etuk, nicknamed Chief Odutola in the famed City Caravan in Cross River Radio and a one-time Chairman of Joint Public Service Negotiating Council, Akwa Ibom, speaks on the radio comedy, labour movement and other issues in the country.
Excerpts:
Birth of defunct ‘City Caravan’ in Cross River Radio
There was a time we used to attend the radio theater back then in Calabar led by the late Rev. Fr. Francis Mbaba a producer. We had many of them. Okon Atakpo was there. We now said when the station was handed over by NBC to Cross River Radio, we asked ourselves: must we continue like this? Let’s have something that will be educative, informative, entertaining and life-bringing programme. We said let us not join the bandwagon of the then NBC Lagos. We thought of names and said ‘let it be city caravan.’
What do you mean by a city caravan? A train that conveys a lot of comedians with comedies that will bring about many developmental issues, ills of the society, ills of authorities, ills of organizations, ills of families and so on, and we concluded as names were suggested we took city caravan- the train that is moving round Calabar, gathering information and also letting the people know. That is how we got to the name ‘City Caravan’ with the crews.
Artistes in City Caravan
We had the Hoha group, consisting of Chief Odutola, Mr. Hoha, Madam Hoha, Godwin, the bald head. We had Garuba, the man who spoke the language of the northerners criticising the ills of the society and not the tribe as it were. Myself Chief Odutola, I had to use Yoruba intonation to criticise all what is happening in the society, be it government or individuals. Then Garuba’s slot was made up of himself and another customer who goes to buy suya in the name of boy Christopher. Then we had Mazi Akpuruka Njioma using the Igbo intonation to criticise the society of the ills, dirty things going on, corruption, all of us were involved in criticizing corruption and so on. Not today that corruption and evil is the order of the day, but people enjoy it. The other slot was Chief Abraka TKO (Technical Knockout) headed by Ime Inyang. In our own slot, we were always using the bar situation, at time we made it looked like a parliament. That is how the setup was, produced by the late Ubong Ndah.
How City Caravan show debuted
It was in the late 70’s, later on the late Aloysius Ekanem took over the production in collaboration with Rev. Fr. Francis Mbaba.
City Caravan didn’t attract any financial benefits
No financial benefits. We were paid just N10. So, we had to split it for five people. The money was always paid in arrears and it didn’t take us home. It wasn’t the money that took us there but the opportunity we were given to air the views of the downtrodden who had no chance or opportunity to speak out.
How listeners received City Caravan
The listeners enjoyed it. They were happy. We had people working for government there too.
Why the popular programme died
The programme should have gone out of existence if not for the sake of the artiste themselves, because the audience and the poor people that came to witness it were harmless. The bourgeoisie, the money makers, were not willing to sponsor the programme. The money realized by Cross River Radio was used as artistes fee and none was left to pay for script writing.
There was a time the programme was off the air because they couldn’t sponsor it anymore. They wanted us to be doing it free, and when we didn’t want to do it free; they played the programme repeatedly. And the listeners attacked us saying ‘if you people don’t have anything else to say, you should tell us.’ When the programme wanted to return, it came back in a very bad way. They just went on air one day without consulting the artistes and the crew and announced that they were looking for new artistes. We said okay, if they were looking for new artistes, well they would look for us. That was the time it gave emergence for new people to come in including Udo Sunday and few others. When it took off the second batch, the public could not really get what they wanted and they protested.
Later, Father Mbaba wrote to me and pleaded that we should come back to resuscitate the programme because the programme had died – the quality was poor. And we went there and said we wanted to do screening. We picked some people including the late Udo Sunday and Ini Ekpo. Again, the station was owing us little money that did not amount to something much. Not long, the state was the created when the people enjoyed us most. When we moved to Akwa Ibom, we started the programme at Cross River Radio, Abak, the nucleus of Akwa Ibom State radio. Some people fell out by either promotion or movement and we were lucky to have Efik indigenes because what was left was Cross River State people.
What happened to the programme after the state creation
We couldn’t bring the Cross River issues here since that one was City Caravan. We said let’s look for a name that will be captivating. We settled for ‘Comedy Train,’ everyone loved it as it was a moving comedy. We then began, but again the issue came up again- payment. There were indebtedness issues with management and stuff like that. But we managed the way we could and the thing went off. There was another comedy that would have come up, but I participated in about four editions. But later on, it was given a political name and I withdrew from it. But, I said if you want me on it, you have to pay me N500,000. But, they could not afford sponsorship, I resigned.
Programmes similar to Comedy Train in Akwa Ibom
Yes! There are programmes, but I will not mention them for fear of advertising them here free of charge.
Resuscitating Comedy Train with the old stars
Today, if you resurrect it, you will want to control the artistes and they will be impatient not wanting to be controlled. Unlike the era of the military where there was tolerance, now it is difficult to do it.
His emergent roles in trade unionism
In the 70’s when I was employed, I remember I was appointed to lead workers as their mouthpiece. At a point, I was sent on training to Government Printing Press, Calabar. My followers were not satisfied and later on, they agitated that I should be properly sent to Government Printing Press where they would utilize us well. There, we were not promoted. We were being kept after employment for 10 years without promotion. So, it bothered us. When we went back, I don’t know God talked to them that David had come to lead them. They now appointed me caretaker Committee Secretary for the Printers Union of Government Printing Press. After six months, I agitated to leave and they said no, and conducted elections, and I was elected the Secretary. I was the branch secretary; later, I was state secretary; I was the zonal secretary of National Union of Printing in the 70’s. Gradually, when the state was created, we couldn’t continue. We had to come back and inaugurate our own chapter National Union of Printing. So, I was the pioneer secretary.
While there, I said I wanted to lead as soon as they wanted to conduct election. So, when we came down I contested elections as Chairman, National Union of Printing. Later, it was changed and merged with four other unions. I became the secretary, NEC member, zonal Chairman again and so on. At the state level, I was the state secretary, National Union of Printing. I was elected the Assistant Secretary, Nigeria Labour Congress. I was member Joint Public Service Negotiating Council, still a member of my home union. During the regime of Joseph Adewusi, I was Chairman, Joint Public Service Negotiating Council, it was turbulent for me. I tried my little best along other little union positions I had. I can say that I am the most senior union leader in Akwa Ibom State today and I have achieved a lot.
Difference between trade unionism in my time and trade unionism these days
Trade unionism, as you can see these days, all is not well. Everyone is sitting down to watch when God will come down. In fact, it was even better about two years ago when you would go and got your ‘Ghana must go’ instead of signing for a better minimum wage you will go and sign a wrong one and say that the man should continue to pay peanuts. So, it is hard to comment on labour today because it’s just like Americans in Iraq. So, labour is now looking for an opportunity of who will bell the cat. Let some of the unionists be sincere. Where did they take money to build their big houses? So, let it continue like this so that people will know what to do with their PVCs.
Advice to trade union leaders today
My advice is that they should be prayerful. They should be conservative and should not be much greedy. Trade union leaders today should sensitize the workers for credible government at federal, state and local levels. Our eyes are no more closed. I will advise them to be prayerful, optimistic, fair and fair to all.
