A TOAST TO ANIKE AGBAJE-WILLIAMS AT 87

A lady with many firsts! Anike Agbaje-Williams, an explorer and moderator, the first face to appear on Western Nigeria Television, WNTV, Africa’s premier channel. Conquering a meeting in the male-dominated profession, she charmed the board during her meeting stage and began working at the media firm in 1959. Agbaje-Williams, known for her rich voice and charming personality, boasts of more than thirty years of involvement prior to her retirement.

Agbaje-Williams was born in Abeokuta on the 23^rd of October, 1936. She was the third daughter born to Mr. and Mrs. Kuforiji, her father was of Egba heritage.

She spent her primary school and junior secondary school years in Lagos under the care of her guardian, Mrs Gbemisola Rosiji, wife of Ayo Rosiji and Bishop and Mrs S.C. Philips. She attended CMS Girls School, Lagos. In 1950, when CMS Girls School was relocated to Ibadan and renamed St Anne’s School, she moved with the school and finished her education in Ibadan.

After completing secondary school education, she got employment with the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation at Ikoyi, Lagos in 1955. Agbaje-Williams’ career as a newsreader began as a result of co-worker not showing up to work. On that day, a colleague who usually does announcements or reading small bits of information on the radio did not show up, the current host then asked her to take his place. Agbaje-Williams read the information and when the supervisor heard her voice, he was impressed, she was then asked to join the programmes department as a staff announcer.

When a television station was established at Ibadan, she was asked to interview and was subsequently given a job at the station. Agbaje-Williams was a pioneer staff of WNTV, which was first television station in Nigeria, she was also the first female broadcaster of the station. She rose to become a producer and director of programmes at the television station before retiring in 1986.

Today marks 87 years of Anike Agbaje-Williams’ existence.