SPECIAL FOCUS ON RADIO CONGLOMERATES (7) A PEEP INTO BRILA FM EMPIRE -

Brila FM is a sports radio station with broadcast stations in four states in Nigeria. With broadcast space in Lagos, Abuja, Onitsha, and Port Harcourt, Brila Fm, during the 2014 FIFA World Cup, was appointed as one of the three lead broadcast partners by Optima Sports Management International.

The CEO, Larry Izamoje, born 24 February 1962 is a radio host focusing on sports radio in Nigeria. He founded Sports Radio 88.9 Brila FM in Lagos, Nigeria, in 2002.

Izamoje attended the Institute of Continuing Education, Warri, before attending the University of Lagos from 1981 to 1984, graduating with a Bachelor of Science (second Class Upper Honours) degree in Sociology. He did his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) service in Kano State and was a recipient of the Kano State NYSC award for excellence.

He was a member of the editorial board of the Kano State NYSC Newsletter during his 1984-85 service year. Izamoje returned to school to receive a Master of Science degree in Sociology in 1986 from the University of Lagos and a doctorate degree in 2012 from the Business School, Lausanne, Switzerland.

On returning to the University of Lagos in 1985 for his master’s degree, Izamoje worked as a freelance reporter under Ernest Okonkwo at the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN). From 1986 to 1990, Izamoje was in the employ of Concord Press, serving as a sports reporter, promotions executive, and deputy sports editor.

He joined the now-defunct Mail newspaper as sports editor in late 1990 and worked briefly at DBN-TV Lagos before setting up Brila Sports, an independent production and sports consultancy company, with a second-hand table and chair and a second hand typewriter, in 1992.

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Izamoje founded Sports Radio 88.9 Brila FM and has been the chairman and CEO, Nigeria’s and Africa’s first sports radio station, went on the air in 2002.

In 2007, Izamoje was honoured by the University of Lagos Alumni Association for his contributions to Nigerian society through sports journalism.

Izamoje opened his second station at Mpape Hill, Abuja, in January 2007. In 2011, Larry Izamoje hit another milestone when Sports Radio 88.9 Brila FM opened Port Harcourt and Onitsha stations as it continued its rapid expansion programme.