Inspiration FM is a Nigerian language and English language speaking radio station which cuts across the South-South and the South-West geo-political zone of the country.
Inspiration FM is a family radio station that caters to the needs of many of the key demographics represented within the family.
Inspiration, as the name implies, is a divinely originated concept that incorporates ideas, music and information intended to uplift the spirit of the listener and encourage interaction for purposeful living.
Its current broadcast space cuts across South West, South South, and Lagos from its locations in Lagos, Oyo and Akwa Ibom States.
The CEO, Dr. Erastus Bankole Oladipo Akingbola who is from Ondo State, was born on October 26, 1950 to Chief Samuel Orogbode Akingbola, a Church Catechist and Teacher, and Mrs. Christiana Akingbola, a book seller, in Ilesha, in the present-day Osun State.
Erastus began his educational pursuit at Christ School, Ado Ekiti.
Erastus enjoyed his years at Christ School, Ado Ekiti and apart from being a brilliant student, was also actively engaged in sports, participating in long distance race. He was also a member of the school’s drama group.
But perhaps the highest point of his involvement in extra curricular activities for the school was when he represented the school at a Western Nigeria Regional Final Competition in Broadcasting and clinched the best position.
In his final year at Christ School, Erastus had plans to proceed to Advanced Level (A Level) and had been offered admission for the purpose, but one fateful day his mother came from Ile-Ife to retrieve the money they had paid as deposit for his ‘A Level’ to meet some pressing family financial obligations. That put a hold to his plans in that regard.
After concluding his ‘O levels’, he proceeded to Lagos and through the assistance of a paternal Uncle, Rev. (Engr.) Henry Fajemirokun, he secured employment as an Accounts Clerk in a company, two weeks after leaving Secondary School, earning 15 Pounds per month.
His Uncle had a colleague who was living in a neighbouring house who he usually accompanied to work in his car. Erastus was instructed by his Uncle to wash the neighbour’s car daily which he diligently did for months until one day the man, Chief Akinniyi Olukeye Akinbami, invited him over to Barclays Bank for employment test, which he passed. He was employed in the bank thereafter.
Dr Akingbola had pursued his banking career from the lowest level into the pinnacle of the banking industry in Africa. He had over 35 years continuous banking practice embracing commercial banking, merchant banking, discount house operations, capital market, leasing and insurance.
He started his banking career at the then Barclays Bank (now Union Bank) where he learned the ropes and rose to the position of Accountant by 1977, before leaving for NAL Merchant Bank Limited as Executive Assistant in the Operations Department. He rose rapidly at NAL, becoming a Senior Manager in 1984.
In 1987, he was appointed Controller of Operations in the First City Merchant Bank Limited.
He functioned in this capacity till 1989 when he co-founded and was appointed the Managing Director/Chief Executive of Nigerian Intercontinental Merchant Bank Limited which later transformed into a commercial bank as Intercontinental Bank Plc.
As at the time of his exit he had built the bank from scratch to become one of the biggest in the country with subsidiaries in Ghana and United Kingdom.
Akingbola was among those that headlined the crises that erupted from the impact of the global crises on Nigeria’s financial system.
Whilst he still battles the fallouts 12 years running, Akingbola is also known for other non-banking engagements which he has continued to pursue despite the distractions of the battles surrounding his role in the financial crises.
Hence, he founded the Amazing Inspiration Media Limited, which was registered on 21 Aug 2008.
The radio, Inspiration 92.3FM, is regarded as the Nigeria’s first and only family radio service that caters to the needs of many of the key demographics represented within the family.
Currently the radio broadcast space cuts across the South South and South West; however, efforts are underway to stamp the radio’s physical presence in the Northern parts of the country.