Traditional Authority Rescues Falling Rainbow Radio with Phantom Mic

Traditional Authority Rescues Falling Rainbow Radio with Phantom Mic

In the town of Mbengwi, divisional headquarters of Momo in the North West Region of Cameroon, there planted in Mile 18 Ku-Bome, the heart of the municipality is Rainbow Radio, the voice of the community, broadcasting on 99.5 FM. Established in 2013 by its U.K based son of the soil proprietor, Tangoh Henry as gift to the land of his birth, the station has since then been vibrating the airwaves of Mbengwi and some areas in Bafut, Fundong, Mendankwe, Batibo, Pinyin, Bali Nyonga right up to Dschang in the West Region and Wabane in the South West Region from were calls are at times received from listeners.

New Phantom Mic

Before the coming of Rainbow Radio, others like Mbengwi Radio Network and Radio Meuyi had existed. Management difficulties later sent the former packing while the latter was purposely for a political campaign period and went off air after results were pronounced. In 2015, Planet FM later came and joined Rainbow Radio but again, her stay too was short-lived as barely a year after, she too closed down. Running a radio station in a rural area has never been a profitable business. It's more of benevolence. Only Rainbow Radio has been able to sail through the storms since 2013 till date.

In January 2018 when the current Anglophone Crisis began escalating and the effects deeply felt in Mbengwi, at a time when the state’s radar was on press freedom, the heavy arm of the law came falling on the station as its doors were sealed by administrative authorities after which a couple of its journalists went underground for being wanted. A month after, the doors were reopened for broadcast to resume. The runaway journalists too resurfaced though one (this reporter) was dragged to court. How the matter finally ended is story for another day.

New Studio Mic

Prior to this difficult time, the radio had been suffering from poor equipment, no income generation, no salary and shortage of productive staff. After the shutdown, the challenges persisted and got worst as some of the few remaining staff members either had to quite or relocated to other towns. Thus the radio has been sick and is still sick, yet will never die from its sickness.

Radio equipment started wearing and tearing. All this while the few remaining staff members have been "managing" the two remaining malfunctioning microphones. The studio console too in the technical room has gradually been breaking down as only few lines on it still function. At times bringing a guest into the studio for a live program was a problem because it will be unpleasant for he or she to see how mics and mic stands are tied with scotch tape, how studio mics are being hardly hit with the palms before they function and buttons on the music console harshly  twisted left and right for them to work, a common illness that affects most of the radio stations in the North West Region. Colleagues will testify the hurdles faced in studios with equipment.

Rainbow Radio's Technical Room

Fortunately, that was then. As said, the patient dog eats the fattest bone. Since what doesn't kill makes strong, Rainbow Radio after overcoming all the storms is now beginning to sail through calm waters. The cry of the radio has just been heard and answered by H.R.H Dr. Fomuki Walters, fon of Guneku village in the Meta clan, resident in Germany. In a recent financial package he sent to assist persons  living with disabilities in Mbengwi, (http://mbengwionline.blogspot.com/2019/06/when-all-attention-is-on-idps-who-cares.html?m=1) he also sent two studio microphones to Rainbow Radio.

Give me the Mic

The mics have been installed and the difference is now clear. Light has conquered darkness. After a long struggle, success has started coming. Broadcast now goes on smoothly and staff members testify they now enjoy their work. Any guest can now be brought into the studio for a live program without any fear of disgrace. The management of Rainbow Radio, FM 99.5 Mbengwi has been appreciating the fon for his timely and giant intervention to rescue the sinking ship. It continues to solicit for more aide in terms of headphones, recorders, new musical console and even financial to boost the morals of the few remaining staff members. When Rainbow Radio is on, Mbengwi is alive.