Chrys
The senate has mourned Raymond Dokpesi, founder of DAAR
Communications, and owner of African Independent Television (AIT) and RayPower.
Dokpesi’s death was announced on Monday. He was 71.
The upper legislative chamber asked the federal government
to immortalise the late media mogul.
The resolution of the senate followed a motion sponsored by
Francis Alimikhena, senator representing Edo north.
While eulogising him, Alimikhena said Dokpesi ventured into
the media business at a time the industry was dominated by government outfits
in the 1990s.
“In the early 1990s when Nigerian media was dominated by the
government media only, he entered the Nigerian mass media industry with his
company, DAAR Communications,” the senator said.
“He established the first independent radio station; Ray
Power FM in 1993 and the first global satellite television station; AIT in
Nigeria in 1996.”
Eyinnaya Abaribe, senator representing Abia south, said
Dokpesi stood for the country by giving one of the key ingredients of
democracy.
“For that, we must at all times always remember the late
Dokpesi as the man that stood forward for Nigeria and gave us one of the key
ingredients of democracy which is freedom of information,” Abaribe said.
“I say good night because good men are very rare. May God
accept his soul.”
After the eulogies, the senate observed a one-minute silence
in his honour.
