Life and Times of Raymond Dokpesi AIT founder who died at 71

How Raymond Dokpesi Died, His Life and Times

High Chief Raymond Anthony Aleogho Dokpesi died on Monday at the National Hospital, Abuja after falling off his thread mill in a domestic accident during a gym exercise. The exercise was part of his routine physiotherapy while recovering from a major stroke he suffered weeks earlier. A close source said he had earlier suffered the first stroke early in the year after a spell of ill-health which set in 2020 when he came down with COVID-19. Although he survived but he never returned to his usual state of health.

He was said by our source to have suffered sudden thrombotic major stroke few weeks ago that complicated his precarious health. The situation was being managed but the thread mill accident precipitated his death Monday afternoon

In recent months, the AIT founder’s health had deteriorated. He had subsequently been managing his health and was placed on occupational therapy to improve his daily activities before his sudden death.

Meanwhile, the Management of DAAR Communications Limited on Monday cleared the air over the immediate cause of death of its founder, Raymond Dokpesi. The Image newspaper was among the first to report that the media mogul breathed his last on Monday in Abuja.

While confirming his death in a statement Monday night, the DAAR Communications Group Managing Director, Mr Tony Akiotu, said the late businessman had been ill prior to his death. The statement confirms the Image newspaper’s earlier report about his suffering from strokes.

Akiotu explained that Dokpesi was on his journey to full recovery before the fell and died during routine thread mill exercise on Monday. It was due to his unsteady gait arising from his physical frailty. That accident accentuated his condition and became the cause of his sudden death.

“He had been ill in the last few weeks but was on his way to full recovery. He had a fall off his thread mill during routine gym exercise. Further announcements as regards to burial arrangements will be made by the family,” the statement clarified.

The late Dokpesi was born on 25 October 1951 in the Oyo State capital, Ibadan is a Nigerian media entrepreneur. His parents are from Edo State, precisely Agenebode in a family including six sisters as siblings. He entered the Nigerian mass media industry with his company DAAR Communications and set-up the Nigerian TV network Africa Independent Television (AIT). In May 2020, Dokpesi became a COVID-19 survivor.

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND

Dokpesi started his early schooling with Loyola College, Ibadan. After which he joined the Immaculate Conception College (ICC) Benin-City where he was the pioneer member of Ozolua Play house, a dance/drama group. He did his undergraduate studies at the University of Benin and completed his studies at the University of Gdansk, Poland where he earned his Doctorate degree in Marine Engineering.  His tertiary studies were sponsored by Adamawa State-born business mogul, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur.

Remarkably, young Raymond graduated with a distinction and was as well the best graduating student in Marine Transport Engineering in the past fifty years of University of Gdansk’s history.

While in University of Gdansk, he served as the president of the following associations: The Nigerian Students Union, Gdansk Poland – 1972 – 1974; African Students Union, Poland – 1973; International Students Association, Poland – 1974 and Nigerian Students, Eastern Europe – 1974.

Raymond Dokpesi was also a fellow of Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Chartered institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT), Nigerian Institute of Shipping, Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM), Institute of Transport Administration, and the Institute of Directors (IOD), Nigeria.

In the early 1990s, as a result of the historic National Broadcasting Commission decree, Nigerian media was dominated by government-owned media only. Information was only made possible from government owned broadcasting firms. However, the Military Head of State then General Ibrahim Babangida, issued another decree which allowed private broadcasting in Nigeria.

Following that decree, Dokpesi established the first private radio station in Nigeria, Raypower which he followed up with the first television network in the country, Africa Independent Television (AIT). AIT was pioneered by Dokpesi, and was also Africa’s first satellite Television station.

Till death Dokpesi was regarded as a media guru of Nigeria alongside Nduka Obaigbena, the founder of Arise Televison and John Momoh, the owner of Channels Television. Some also refer to Dokpesi as the Ted Turner of Nigeria. Dokpesi not only pioneered the first satellite TV but also the first privately owned radio station in Nigeria.

High Chief Raymond Dokpesi started as the Personal Assistant to Alhaji Bamaga Tukur during his tenure as the general manager of the Nigerian Ports Authority. Dokpesi also served as a civil servant in the Federal Ministry of Transport under Alhaji Umaru Dikko and General Garba Wushishi. The business association of Raymond Dokpesi with the likes of the Bamanga Tukur and the late MKO Abiola, resulted in the birth of African Ocean Lines (AOL).

African Ocean Lines was the first indigenous Shipping Line in Africa established in the 1980s, although the business did not last long. However, it contributed a great deal to the Nigerian shipping Industry as it helped formulate the Nigerian shipping act Decree 1986 which started the sharing formula 40:20:20 for cargo between developed and developing countries.^[

DOKPESI AS A MEDIA GURU

During the Ibrahim Babaginda regime when the atmosphere was made conducive enough for private media ownership due to the deregulation of broadcasting in Nigeria, Dokpesi became the pioneer of private media ownership in Nigeria. In 1994 he launched the first Nigerian private FM radio station Raypower. Two years later, he launched AIT.  

Dokpesi’s AIT has gained much coverage. On 20 September 2003, Africa Independent Television launched its signals in the United States. Presently, AIT is received in North America, the Caribbean and Europe as well as African countries.

Amazingly, young Raymond graduated with a distinction and was as well the best graduating student in Marine Transport Engineering in the past fifty years of University of Gdansk’s history.

While in University of Gdansk, he served as the president of the following associations:

The Nigerian Students Union, Gdansk Poland – 1972 – 1974

African Students Union, Poland – 1973

International Students Association, Poland – 1974

Nigerian Students, Eastern Europe – 1974

Raymond is also a fellow of Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Chartered institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT), Nigerian Institute of Shipping, Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM), Institute of Transport Administration, and the Institute of Directors (IOD), Nigeria.

See Also: Biography of Chude Jideonwo, founder of Joy, Inc.

Raymond Dokpesi Career

Before proceeding to Poland, Raymond worked briefly at Nigeria Ports Authority as Marine Office Cadet in 1969. After graduation, he lectured at the University of Gdansk, Poland as Assistant Lecturer in Marine Transport Economics.

He was a polygamous man married to many wives.