Conversation With Funke Durodola-Treasure

Funke-Treasure Durodola is a broadcast journalist, certified media trainer, speech and leadership coach. She is the first female journalist to manage an all-news radio station in the Radio Nigeria Network and indeed the Nigerian broadcast industry. She has spent more than two decades as a broadcaster; presenting and producing programmes; and anchoring news

She is one of the foremost presenters and news anchors of Radio Nigeria. She broke the ceiling as a female news anchor of her generation on the Network Service of the FRCN in 2003; paving the way for younger women to be considered as news readers on the radio network. Funke – Treasure received training from Thomson Foundation, UK where she obtained a certificate in International Broadcast Journalism and Radio Netherlands Training Centre for the Training the Trainer Course.

She has worked with the United Nations IRIN Radio as a Country Producer-Trainer and WANAD/ALCO as Country Focal Point on the Abidjan-Lagos Corridor Project on HIV/AIDS. She worked with UNICEF and a child based NGO as producer/trainer to train 30 street children in telling their stories in a series about life on the streets. She was an Adjunct Lecturer with Pan Atlantic University, Lagos; a Guest Faculty with The Journalism Clinic; a resource person with the International Press Centre, Nigeria and the Nigerian Army School of Public Relations, Lagos (NASPRI) amongst others.

She runs a social enterprise, the Media Mentoring Initiative (MMi) to empower aspiring and young professionals with broadcast skills. As General Manager, Radio One, 103.5FM, she created a distinct identity for the station. She restructured and introduced interesting programmes that transformed it from a general interest into an all-news format in six months; accelerating Radio One into one of the listener’s favourite stations in Lagos and beyond.

During her term as GM Radio One, she initiated a number of events; some of which have become annual and were first of their kind in Radio Nigeria. These are The Radio One Anniversary Lecture, Radio One Sports Fiesta, The Women’s Summit, Fathers Forum and the Radio One Mobile Father Christmas Show. Funke -Treasure is also an author, writer and media strategist. Her books include, ‘Memories of Grandma’ and ‘Basic Pronunciation Guide for Second Language Speakers of the English Language’.

She has maintained a column in The Guardian on Saturday and NewAge Newspaper in the past. Her academic research, “The Rising Popularity of Pidgin English Radio Stations in Nigeria: An Audience Study of Wazobia FM, Lagos” is available online. She is a recipient of professional media fellowships and awards. These include the Nigerian Media Merit Award’s Radio Production of the Year 2008 and Finalist, Henry J Kaiser HIV Journalism Category, CNN African Journalist of the Year Award 2007.

She has a Masters in Journalism & Media Studies from Rhodes University, South Africa. An alumnus of the Poynter Institute, Florida, USA; Rhodes University, South Africa and Pan Atlantic University, Lagos, Funke-Treasure is in demand as a speaker and panelist in Nigeria and West Africa. She is currently the Assistant Director, Programmes, FRCN Lagos Operations, overseeing the programme needs of its three FM stations in the city.  You can read more on http://www.linkedin.com/in/funketreasuredurodola

What do you like most about what you do?

The thrill of breathing life into ideas and accomplishing each task. It is non-monotonous nature. I can’t thrive in a non – creative environment, the boredom will snuff the life out of me.

How did you start your career?

It started more than two decades back at the Broadcasting Corporation of Abia State where I was posted to for the NYSC scheme. 1996 I think. I was in News and Current Affairs for that one-year producing current affairs programmes and writing commentaries. A year after I moved to Programmes as a Presenter/Producer. I have continued to combine my knowledge of programmes and news effectively in line with global best practices.

What are the challenges you have encountered working as a woman in media and how did you handle them?

It would have to be working with men who can’t handle a woman as a leader over them, especially one who didn’t look her age ( laughs). Looks like one had to be huge and imposing as a boss. Surely that’s a misconception which I was happy to change. Secondly, and the most bewildering challenge was having such a pool of women to manage and the majority were not driven nor ambitious. It was a learning curve for me; realising that some women in the office are just content with been married, having children and having a job they have no vision for.

What is your greatest fear?

The fear of not returning to God empty of the gifts he’s given me.

Who do you admire the most in your field?

Mrs.Eugenia Abu. Surviving the civil service with her multi-skills. News anchor Columnist, writer, author, speaker compere who rose through the ranks to become the Executive Director Programmes before leaving the NTA. My journey is similar to hers. I particularly thought to myself, if she stayed that long in the civil service and accomplished so much, then.

What advice do you wish you had been given at the start of your career?

Hmmm. I mentor and others on the job. I let them stand on my shoulders to leap into the world of possibilities in the profession. I wish I had that kind of opportunity when I was younger on the job. Nevertheless, I celebrate the wonderful people God has brought my way to make my dreams come true.

Tea or Hot chocolate
Tea

AWIM Festival 2019 will be in Kenya, shall we go to Nairobi or Mombasa?
Nairobi