Amid the hustle of Glasgow Airport, one may encounter Oluwakemi Akinbobola, a Nigerian-born nurse who, during her off hours, engages with a diverse community as a presenter on Jambo! Radio. The radio station, unique to Scotland, targets audiences of African and Caribbean descent, delivering broadcasts in an array of languages including Pidgin, Yoruba, Swahili, Igbo, and French.
Jambo!, meaning “hello” in Swahili, takes on a broad spectrum of topics ranging from politics and sports to music and engaging talk shows, all grounded in African and Caribbean context.
A nurse turned cultural ambassador
A feature from BBC Scotland News sheds light on Oluwakemi Akinbobola, a 34- year old Glasgow-based NHS professional who migrated to Scotland with her spouse over 10 years ago. She now hosts a music and talk show in Yoruba, a language native to West Africa.
Akinbobola shared her dedication to safeguarding cultural heritage, explaining that their efforts are intended to unite and help remember their origins and keep their languages alive in a land that is not originally theirs.
Bridging the language barrier during COVID-19
Jambo! Radio was launched three years ago by George Tah, a media entrepreneur hailing from Cameroon.
His vision was to aid Scotland’s African and Caribbean residents to understand the complexities of the pandemic, considering the language barrier and potential misunderstandings about COVID-19 within this linguistically diverse community.
To address these communication challenges, the station translated public health announcements about COVID-19 from Scotland’s national clinical director Prof. Jason Leitch into multiple languages.
Fostering a strong African and Caribbean community in Scotland
The station’s innovative approach is expected to evolve and expand as the African and Caribbean community grows in Scotland.
The BBC feature mentioned the 2011 census, when the African, Caribbean, or black population in Scotland was over 36,000. However, Tah speculates that the actual number could be much higher.
He pointed to the rising number of African and Caribbean restaurants and shops scattered across cities like Glasgow, Edinburgh, and Aberdeen as evidence of a growing community. He attributes much of this growth to family or employment ties with Scotland.
The sense of community fostered by Jambo! Radio is exemplified by presenter Chineye Ochuba, also known as Chinny.
Ochuba, who relocated to Scotland for studies, emphasized the importance of maintaining cultural connections, particularly for the predominantly first-generation African and Caribbean community in Scotland.
Jambo! is sustained primarily by its team of 34 staff, most of whom are volunteers, relying heavily on public donations and grants. It is also backed by Social Investment Scotland.
Its contributions to the community extend beyond radio broadcasts. The station aids unemployed, out-of-school African and Caribbean youth by imparting digital and employability skills.
Through the support of Renfrewshire Council, Jambo! has already facilitated several youth in securing employment through computer literacy, CV writing, and interview skills. Tah, however, asserted that more can be done by authorities to provide opportunities for young people.
He warned of the dangers of not creating supporting institutions for the rapidly growing young African and Caribbean population in Scotland, and expressed concern about potential negative consequences for this demographic.
Broadening reach through digital broadcasting
Currently, Jambo! can be accessed through its website and mobile app. However, aiming to enhance its reach and accessibility, the station plans to broadcast on digital radio in the foreseeable future.
According to Tah, the shift to digital radio will allow them to connect with a broader audience, including motorists and the elderly who are more familiar with traditional radio formats.
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