President Muhammadu Buhari weekend warmly felicitated with multi-talented artiste and veteran broadcaster, Julie Coker, on her 80th birthday, joining the creative industry to celebrate the iconic culture ambassador, musician and author
Buhari congratulated Yeye Eto of Lagos for a sterling career in journalism and performing arts, coming into limelight as a one of the pioneer female broadcaster in Africa’s premier television station, Western Nigerian Television (WNTV, Ibadan), which started transmission on October 31, 1959, and sustaining the legacy in Nigerian Television Service, (NTV, Lagos), now Nigerian Television Authority (NTA).
As a former beauty queen, Miss Western Nigeria Competition, 1958, and runner-up at a Miss Nigeria contest same year, the President believed Coker’s talent brought her into the spotlight at an early age, and has consistently sustained her growing influence over the years, both within and outside the country.
Buhari rejoiced with family members, friends and professional associates of the exceptional broadcaster, who continues to project the country to the world by accepting leadership roles in culture and tourism in the United Kingdom and United States of America.
The President, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, prayed God to grant Coker longer life, good heath and more grace to pursue and actualise her dreams of making life better for others.
By Idowu Sowunmi
