By Prince Osuagwu

One of the reasons there are few outside broadcast vans, OBVs in Nigeria despite the numerous broadcast stations in the country is probably the cost. A standard OBV may not just cost an arm and a leg, it could cost both arms and legs. It runs into millions of dollars.Another reason could also be the processes of bringing them in. They must be imported and the rigours, according to those who have one, are enormous.

However, in a normal, comfortable economy with the kind of size and population that is Nigeria, outside broadcast vans should be a matter of ‘turn your head and see one’. It wouldn’t also be any less important now the country is transiting from analogue system of broadcast to the digital transmission regime.

But the question has been why with all the fabrication prowess and ingenuity that Nigerians possess, one has not come out of this clime?

Traditionally, Glamtech has a culture of keeping eyes and ears open for latest innovations. Most importantly we are known for sniffing out where uncommon breakthroughs are hatched and actualised. That was how we stumbled upon a made in Nigeria outside broadcast van that threatens to cut off demand for foreign packaged OBVs.

When an indigenous telecom cum broadcast company, ComFax, gathered its engineers to a round table recently, the motive was to answer the question why no cost effective made in Nigeria OBV? Several ideas sprang up.

The ideas became challenges which resulted into tasks and the tasks into a prototype. The prototype was eventually made real and one of the Nigerian state governments has become the beneficiary of the whole gamut. Glamtech interactions with some of the engineers revealed that after the prototype, the road to building a made in Nigeria OBV began in earnest. Almost all the raw materials were sourced locally beginning with a Toyota Nigeria built Hiace bus that understands the twists, turns and general dynamics of the Nigerian road.

A 7.5 KVA sound proof generator back up was inevitable, given the unsteady power supply in the country. There’s also a special acoustic sound and heat proof system layered with 3- core wood and rug wool to withstand shock and ward off unwanted outside noise. There also was a deliberate tweak on the car Air Conditioning system to create a stronger cooling system which the studio equipment require to work and be sustained for a longer period.

The Made in Nigeria OBV boasts of 11-meter remote controlled outside antennae with hydraulic pump system. The swag in the whole operation of the antennae is that when it systematically reaches angle 90 degrees, it automatically begins to pump and spring up majestically. The height of the Antennae according to one of the engineers, Mr Mohammad Merhi, is to ensure that transmission between the OBV and its parent studio is not hindered by any sort of interference.

The OBV studio itself is replete with buttons and switches. Two microphones;one a multi directional wireless and the other, wired. One inbuilt CD and cassette players each, a set of console consisting of up to 24 plug inputs and a standard Uninterruptible Power Supply, UPS that can serve for up to 90 minutes when power goes off. The space inside the OBV seems wide enough to take the on air personality, OAP and a guest or guests as the case may be.

As I explored the aesthetics of the interior and exterior of the made in Nigeria OBV, I couldn’t dismiss the feeling that besides Boko Haram and political instability, there are very many great things Nigeria should be known for.