Anike Agbaje-Williams
{{Short description|Nigerian newsreader (1936–2025)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Use Nigerian English|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Anike Agbaje-Williams
| birth_name = Anike Kuforiji
| birth_date = {{birth date|1936|10|23|df=y}}
| birth_place = Abeokuta, Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria
| death_date = {{death date and age|2025|02|26|1936|10|23|df=y}}
| death_place = Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria
| nationality =
| occupation = Newsreader
| years_active = 1955–1986
}}
Anike Agbaje-Williams (née Kuforiji; 23 October 1936 – 26 February 2025) was a Nigerian newsreader who was the first female television staff announcer and broadcaster in Nigeria.{{Cite web |last=Ajia |first=Jide |date=28 February 2025 |title=Tinubu mourns veteran broadcaster, Anike Agbaje-Williams |url=https://punchng.com/tinubu-mourns-veteran-broadcaster-anike-agbaje-williams/ |access-date=28 February 2025 |website=Punch Newspapers |language=en-US}}{{cite news|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=l9JBAAAAYAAJ&q=anike+agbaje+williams|title=Nigeria's book of firsts: a handbook on pioneer Nigerian citizens, institutions, and events|author=N. Nik Onyechi|publisher=Nigeriana Publications (University of Virginia) |year=1989|page=124|isbn=9789782839992}}
Life and career
Anike Kuforiji was born in Abeokuta on 23 October 1936. Her father was of Egba heritage. She spent her primary school and junior secondary school years in Lagos under the care of her guardian, Mrs Gbemisola Rosiji, wife of Ayo Rosiji, and Bishop and Mrs S. C. Philips. She attended CMS Girls School, Lagos. In 1950, when CMS Girls School was relocated to Ibadan and renamed St Anne's School, she moved with the school and finished her education in Ibadan.{{Cite web |title=Anike Agbaje-Williams: Africa's First Female Broadcaster – DAWN Commission |url=https://dawncommission.org/anike-agbaje-williams-africas-first-female-broadcaster/ |access-date=28 February 2025 |language=en-US}}
After completing secondary school education, she was hired by the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation at Ikoyi, Lagos, in 1955. One day, a colleague who usually did announcements or read small bits of information on the radio did not show up, and the current host then asked her to take his place. When the supervisor heard Agbaje-Williams's voice, he was impressed, and then asked her to join the programmes department as a staff announcer.{{cite web|title=Femi Sowoolu, Madam ANIKE AGBAJE WILLIAMS, OLUSESAN EKISOLA, Jones Usen and others rock the ROCKCITY GOLDEN VOICES AWARDS (RGVA)|url=https://celebratingoaps.blogspot.com/2014/10/femi-sowoolu-madam-anike-agbaje.html}}
When a television station was established at Ibadan, she was asked to interview and was subsequently given a job at the station.{{Citation needed|date=February 2025}} Agbaje-Williams was a pioneer staff of WNTV, which was the first television station in Nigeria. She was the first person to appear on television broadcast in the country, and was the first female broadcaster of the station. She rose to become a producer and director of programmes at the television station before retiring in 1986.{{Cite web |last=Ibeh |first=Ebube |date=28 February 2025 |title=Africa's first TV presenter Anike Agbaje-Williams dies at 88 |url=https://gazettengr.com/africas-first-tv-presenter-anike-agbaje-williams-dies-at-88/ |access-date=28 February 2025 |website=Peoples Gazette Nigeria |language=en-US}}
Agbaje-Williams died in Ibadan on 26 February 2025, at the age of 88.{{cite news |title=Anike Agbaje-Williams who made history as first face on television in Nigeria dies |url=https://pmnewsnigeria.com/2025/02/27/anike-agbaje-williams-who-made-history-as-first-face-on-television-in-nigeria-dies/ |access-date=28 February 2025 |publisher=PM News |date=27 February 2025}}
Awards and recognition
- Lifetime Achievement Award, Nigerian Broadcasters Awards (2011){{Cite web |last=Popoola |first=Kazeem |date=13 December 2011 |title=Here are the winners of Nigerian Broadcasters Awards 2011 |url=https://www.modernghana.com/nollywood/16663/here-are-the-winners-of-nigerian-broadcasters-awards-2011.html |access-date=28 February 2025 |website=Modern Ghana |language=en}}
- Rockcity Golden Voice Award (2014){{Cite web |last=Kayode-Adedeji |first=Dimeji |date=18 October 2014 |title=Eight Nigerian veteran broadcasters honoured |url=https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/more-news/169720-eight-nigerian-veteran-broadcasters-honoured.html?tztc=1 |access-date=28 February 2025 |website=www.premiumtimesng.com}}
- 2017 Heroes Award, Ibadan Mesiogo Golf Open Awards{{Cite web |last=Adesina |first=Gbenro |date=10 October 2017 |title=Awolowo, Ajimobi, Oyinlola, Agbaje-Williams honoured at IMEGA awards |url=https://pmnewsnigeria.com/2017/10/10/awolowo-ajimobi-oyinlola-agbaje-williams-honoured-imega-awards/ |access-date=28 February 2025 |language=en-US}}
References
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Category:20th-century Nigerian journalists
Category:20th-century Nigerian women
Category:20th-century women journalists
Category:History of women in Nigeria
Category:Nigerian broadcasters
Category:Nigerian radio journalists
Category:Nigerian television presenters
Category:Nigerian women journalists