admin | March 30, 2026
Since 2018, Lydia Okpa has dedicated her career to using radio to empower rural communities in Osun State, Nigeria. A broadcaster and station coordinator at Redeemer’s 103.5 FM, she brings a lived understanding of the challenges faced by small-scale farmers and petty traders—people who feed the nation yet often lack access to vital knowledge. Her partnership with Farm Radio International has strengthened her mission to make radio a tool for learning, empowerment, and social change.
Inspired by her early volunteer work hosting Agric on Air, Jolly Express, and News Around the Globe, Ms. Okpa turned her passion into a full-time mission when she was appointed Station Coordinator in 2022. Over the years, she has produced programs that make complex topics like climate-smart farming, soil health, biodiversity, and organic pest control accessible and actionable for listeners. This year, she led a 10-episode series on Nature-Based Solutions, tackling issues like open burning while rooting the content in local realities.
Ms. Okpa combines diverse radio formats—drama skits, local proverbs, music, interviews, and listener interactions—to create programs that resonate deeply with her audience. Through live call-ins, WhatsApp feedback, and field vox pops, she ensures that farmers actively shape the
conversation. When a young farmer like “Iya Rukka” doubled her harvest using methods learned on-air, Ms. Okpa knew her work was making a real difference.
Beyond broadcasting, she mentors volunteers, shapes station programming, and integrates development communication into her professional and academic work. She trains the next generation of communicators to spotlight child rights, rural education, environmental justice, and other overlooked issues, turning awareness into action.
A passionate advocate for rural communities, Ms. Okpa views radio as a bridge between knowledge and need, policy and practice, silence and voice. Her commitment to excellence in broadcasting has made her a trusted and influential voice for farmers and small traders in Osun State, helping communities become better informed, more resilient, and never alone