by Emmanuel Utibe
The sounds of Asa’s Eye Adaba force me back awake as I struggle to catch some sleep before 7 am. I just finished TDB some minutes earlier in preparation for my test the following day. For one, I recognize the pertinence of keeping Katangites abreast through the public address system. I also understand the relevance of some of the information the executives and the hall management pass across to the students through the sound system.
However, sometimes, not all actions borne out of good intentions are the right things to do. This is the case with Indy Hall Radio. From my own point of view, the radio schedule for broadcast falls short of the standard. Imagine engaging me in an auditory battle by 8 pm, or 9 pm when I’m trying to catch some sleep from an already stress-filled day.
Aside from the fact that the sound steals my sleep hours, I also get to hear unnecessary confessions and secrets which I do not desire to hear in the first place. On occasions when I decide to do TDB, my morning rest is not still spared of its onslaught. Ordinarily, this begs the question, are there no guidelines governing the use of horn speakers at the University of Ibadan? Are these individuals time conscious?
Also, aside from the fact that confession nights are things I’d rather pass up, I have witnessed an instance where personal information (specifically phone numbers) was called out. On the surface, this may appear harmless and it may be that the owner does not see anything wrong with it. However, there are a lot of bad sides to publicly disclosing people’s personal information. For one, there is the issue of privacy; publicly disclosing people’s personal information automatically compromises their privacy and even their security. The reach of the Indy Hall speakers further compounds this possibility. On many occasions, the speakers reach as far as Queens, therefore, anyone walking within that radius has access to these details. Removing the assumption that the parties whose numbers are being announced do not give their consents, then “the situation doesn’t get K-leg”.
On the flip side, I would give Kudos to Indy radio for programs like news pieces, advertisements, and health programs. It is important that Katangites are kept abreast of information. The radio could also serve as a soft launch platform for those who may later want to venture out into broadcasting and the like later in the future.
Considering the good side of Indy radio, there is a tendency that this opinion is passed up as problematic. There is the argument that some people do not see anything wrong with the timing and the confessions. True, preferences and schedules are not homogenous. However, It is only objective that these activities do not coincide with the universally recognized times of rest like mornings and late nights.
Unlike conventional radio stations, people cannot simply turn off the Indy Hall radio. This is just not a problem for me, but for so many other occupants of the hall. The hall could use a schedule adjustment. A good compromise could be anytime from 7 am in the morning – when it’s well past dawn – to anytime before 7 pm in the evening when it is well past dusk. There is nothing wrong with evenings and afternoons. During the day, and in the evenings, people are more receptive to enjoying a little entertainment, as opposed to late in the night or early in the morning.
Moving forward, and as a way of concluding, it is important that the PRO considers the nature of the information they put out during the programs. Considering that the speaker travels fast, we have no idea who could be snipping the number of that girl from Queens or the Damsel from Awo from the confession night programs. As much as possible as a katangite, I believe that I am entitled to my peace of mind, as much as people are entitled to the information. UDO.
