MY TEN KOBO; LWT: THE RETURN OF THE MACK

For those who grew up in Lagos in the 80s, the name Lagos Weekend Television represents the best in Television Programming. It was the first 24 hours infotainment platform, years before the DSTVs, the AITs and the Silver birds.

Starting on Friday evenings at 7.00pm and rounding off at 6.00am on Mondays, LWT gave us movies, music and more for about fifty hours non stop. It was always a battle with sleep for starry eyed youth to stay away from the TV screens back then.
From 1982 till around 1988, it provided the platform for a fun filled weekend.

But, ultimately, like everything Nigerian, it became diluted once the pioneers were sent out of the door, and with the boom in home video ownership and sundry platforms, including at one time free to air 24 hours CNN, it was modified, and ultimately rested.

When Deji Balogun, DB, became the General Manager of the pioneer state Television station in Nigeria, LTV, last year, he was not only bringing on board a quarter of a century experience in Broadcasting, most of which was spent at the station, but also a passion for the good old days when quality programming provided wholesome family entertainment and content driven platforms.

And so, armed with a zeal and a plan, and backed massively by his parent ministry, headed by another omo Odo Agba, the peerless Steve Ayorindeand Fola Adeyemi, the first home grown PS for decades, the return of a modern, more breezy and more entertaining LWT to the airwaves became a fait accompli.

And so, on Thursday evening, the GM , in the presence of the Honourable Commissioner and the Permanent Secretary put finishing touches to the opening ceremony of the rebranded LWT, which is to be performed today by the Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode.

The man who drives the process,DB, took gkbnewsdigest. (www gkbnewsdigest com) through the process, and while his mood is infectious, one cannot but be swept away by his grand plans for the LWT platform.

Of course, the presence of the ageless beauty, Funke Moore, my favourite broadcaster on this side of heaven and GM, Radio Lagos/Eko FM, could only enhance the ambiance of being in the presence of a visionary.

The Commissioner and the Permanent Secretary, both consumate professionals, were meticulous in crossing every T and dotting every I, and at the end of the day, were satisfied that a new chapter in Television Programming is about to hit the ground running.

So tune in to LTV on DSTV, Startimes and Consat platforms from 4.00pm for the ceremony, and at 6.30 PM when that timeless classic, Chariots Of Fire, would herald in 50 hours of non stop entertainment featuring Movies, Music, Sports entertainment and more, till the wee hours of Monday morning.

My Ten Kobo.