Channel 2 (on ‘Radio Tatoo’) Cambridge

What is beyond dispute is that the media frenzy over Fela Ransome-Kuti and Ambassador Patrick Dele-Cole has been a wonderful tonic for Cambridge, particularly as it is being rumoured that “Radio Tatoo” is being transmitted from a secret location in the environs of Magdalene College. This element of mystery has only served to provide even more fuel to the craze over the magical and awesome radio station as regards which Cambridge is in thrall. Absolutely fascinating. In any case, it has boosted the tourism industry in Cambridge and the number of foreign visitors to Magdalene College has gone up tenfold. The college is certainly not complaining. Each year, Cambridge attracts almost four million visitors.

However, within the academic community there is raging controversy about the significance of “Radio Tatoo”. On one side are those who are merely tolerating it in the belief that it is only a passing phase (or phenomenon) and it will soon blow away. Others have been quick to recognise its profound significance. They aver that what should be of interest are not Fela’s 27 wives. Rather, it is the pulsating and riveting energy of his music as well as the defiant and rugged philosophy of his message which still endures. That is what learning is all about.

Even more fascinating are the spirited arguments within the academic community as to who, between Fela and Patrick, is the real hero and who qualifies as the anti-hero. It is a perfectly legitimate competition for greatness.

In any case, billboards have sprung up all over Cambridge with life-size photographs of Fela, mostly the iconic photo by a German lady, Leni Sinclair, which recorded Fela Ransome-Kuti with his bare torso, his face marked with white chalk and both hands raised with clenched fists.

According to Nseobong Okon-Ekong, “Leni and Fela had a relationship that dates back almost thirty years. At the time of their meeting in 1986, Fela was on his first American tour after coming out of prison. He was jailed by Nigeria’s military government for illegal possession of foreign currency. Fela was in Detroit, United States of America – a city which had established a global reputation for its motor vehicle industry and for its jazz and rock music concerts. Leni was neck-deep into the jazz trade in which she developed an interest in taking pictures with musicians. She recognised the enormous importance of chronicling the auspicious moments of performance and the life (sic) of the musicians on and off stage.”

The most riveting billboard is located at the intersection that leads to Cambridge town centre. Apart from the intimidating image of Fela Ransome-Kuti, inset is a smaller photo of Ambassador Patrick Dele-Cole pointing to Fela and declaring his verdict: “Fela you were great!” Underneath Patrick’s photograph a female admirer had scribbled: “Patrick you are great too.”

Life is full of unintended consequences and there can be no further confirmation of this than the phenomenal success of “Radio Tatoo” in attracting advertisements. All the big brands – from Coca-Cola to KPMG; Apple; Starbucks; Samsung; Microsoft; McDonalds; Nestle; JP Morgan; Bank of America; Bank of Japan; Sofgen; FIFA; the Vatican; Adidas; Goldman Sachs; Heineken; Toyota; Vodafone; etc – are actually begging to advertise on the ubiquitous “Radio Tatoo”, the pirate radio of Cambridge. Indeed, it has become such a runaway success that the promoters have been compelled by powerful authorities in Cambridge to launch: “Channel 2 (Radio Tatoo)” which will reflect the more traditional culture and history of Cambridge as a citadel of learning. Of course, those who want to confine themselves to the music of Fela and the nimble dance steps of his 27 wives are free to do so. “Channel 2” is for far more serious stuff. Its main focus is moral authority and conscience of which the epitome is none other than Rowan Williams, the Master of Magdalene College, Cambridge CB3 OAG.

In 1984 he was elected a Fellow and Dean of Clare College, Cambridge University. During his time at Clare he was arrested and fined for singing psalms as part of the CND (Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament) protest at Lakenheath air-base. He is acknowledged internationally as an outstanding theological writer, scholar and teacher. His writings cover a wide variety of moral, ethical and social issues, particularly cultural and interfaith matters.

On 20th November 2012, as the Archbishop of Canterbury, he held the General Synod spellbound with his sermon at Eucharist: “Let heart speak to heart”. It concluded with a prayer for a day when heart speaks to heart: “Our prayer is for the gift of the Holy Spirit. Something in the very centre of our being is what the Holy Spirit recreates in the likeness of Christ. When we ask for the Spirit to teach our hearts, when we remind ourselves that God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts crying ‘Abba, Father’, we understand that what we are trying to do is expose the very centre of who and what we are to God.”

The consensus in Cambridge is that Magdalene College has regained the moral high ground – and by extension Cambridge has caught up with Oxford which stole a march on it with OXFAM (Oxford Committee for Famine Relief) – founded in 1942.

Channel 2 (Radio Tatoo) has been spectacularly successful in drawing audiences from far beyond Cambridge with a message of hope and compassion especially for the African condition. In the last few weeks the ratings have been stratospheric when the main feature was “Boko Haram”, the thoroughly ruthless and blood-thirsty insurgents and terrorists who have unleashed horror and mayhem all over North Eastern Nigerian – raping, decapitating, kidnapping women and children along with indiscriminate bombing of markets, police barracks, military bases as well as posing a serious threat to Nigeria’s nascent and fragile democracy even as Christmas beckons.

Margaret Gilmore was absolutely brilliant when she anchored the heart-wrenching programme “BENUE KILLING FIELDS” based on a front-page report in Sunday Vanguard newspaper of November 1, 2015: “Suspected Fulani herders fingered in 262 murders”, with a rider, “Governor Ortom to the rescue”.

Margaret made a “Double First” when she followed up with “BOKO HARAM’S INTELLIGENCE 100% BETTER – DANJUMA” (front-page report from Nigerian Tribune of November 4, 2015).

J.K Randle