The director-general of Voice of Nigeria, Jibrin Ndace, has called for the reactivation of the partnership with the agency and the Sudan Broadcasting Corporation.

Mr Ndace said this when he led the management team on a visit to the charge d’affaires, in the Sudanese, Ahmed Taboul, on Tuesday in Abuja.

According to Mr Ndace, the relationship between Sudan and Nigeria is deeper than what others perceive, stressing that there are many Nigerians who have become Sudanese and vice versa.

“We are here today to reconnect with the Sudanese Embassy and, by extension, the Sudanese government. In the past, Sudan related with VON on a mutual programme; some of our broadcasts were sent to the Sudanese Broadcasting Corporation and vice versa.

“We are here to reactivate what our founding fathers have laid by reconnecting with the Sudanese Broadcasting Corporation. VON was established to be at the forefront of shaping positive narratives about Nigeria and Africa, and in doing that, it was conscious of language, and thus, we broadcast in eight languages.

“I feel it is necessary to reconnect with partners of VON to reshape and project Nigeria and Africa. We want to work with you and reactivate the relationship we had with you,” Mr Ndace said.

The VON boss explained that the relationship could take the form of an exchange programme, content creation, and sharing, adding that its 250kVA transmitter is undergoing repairs.

“When it is restored, our brothers and sisters in Sudan will get an authentic voice of Nigeria shaping the narrative of Africa, Africans, Nigeria, and Nigerians in a language such as Arabic, French, English, Swahili, and others,” he stated.

He added that no country in the world is perfect, but that there are positive developments in Nigeria, Sudan, and other African countries that need to be highlighted.

Mr Ndace reiterated his desire to reconnect and work with the Sudan Embassy and the Sudan Broadcasting Corporation, adding that VON is committed to offering its platform to the Embassy to project its activities.

In his response, Taboul appreciated Ndace for the visit, stressing that Nigeria and Sudan have a special relationship that dates back many years.

“We have a lot of things to do together, not only to reconnect with the embassy, but to reconnect you with the Sudanese Broadcasting in Sudan, and we will do it soon. Maybe by today or tomorrow, we will send a letter to Sudan.

“We will encourage the Sudanese Broadcasting at least to tell us how they are going to deepen the relationship, especially after the current situation in Sudan is over. We are doing our best to reconstruct some of our stations, but in spite of the situation, the Sudanese broadcast has not stopped,” Taboul said.

(NAN)