Saturday, 27th of December 2025, staff and lovers of SBS 96.9FM, Ilorin, gathered for the station’s 2025 End-of-Year Get-Together, an annual celebration organised to appreciate staff commitment, engage loyal listeners, and reflect on the station’s growth over the past year.
The morning session featured a Penalty Challenge, fun games, and an action-packed 5-a-side football match, which kicked off at 8:30am, drawing enthusiastic participation from staff and invited guests.
The event officially progressed into the evening segment with a welcome address by the Chairman of SBS FM, Alhaji Salman Babatunde, who warmly received staff, partners, guests, and listeners. He expressed appreciation for the dedication of the workforce and the unwavering support of SBS FM’s audience, while reaffirming the station’s commitment to community-oriented programming and youth development.
A major highlight of the gathering was the presentation of gift prizes to participants of the SBS FM Secondary School Debate Competition, an educational initiative earlier aired on the station. The competition was designed for secondary school students aged 12 to 18 years, regardless of class level, and was open to both public and private schools, with participation also extended to a community school.
The debate sessions were conducted inside the SBS FM studio, with rounds held on different Saturdays, featuring two schools per session. In total, 14 schools and two individual contestants participated in the programme. While the preliminary and intermediate rounds were broadcast live on air, the final individual debate session was specially presented again as part of the end-of-year activities.
During the prize presentation, Fareedah Aribidesi Qozeem, who emerged 1st, and Obalowu Muhammad, who came 2nd, were presented with gift prizes in recognition of their outstanding performances. Other participating students and school representatives were also given prize and celebrated for their intellectual contributions.
Beyond the celebration, the gathering also served as a feedback and review forum, with attendees encouraged to assess SBS FM’s performance compared to the previous year. Many acknowledged the station’s steady progress, improved content delivery, and stronger community presence.
A recurring recommendation from participants was the need to strengthen local programming, particularly content centred on Ilorin and its surrounding communities. Dr. Ayuba Jabaje advised the station to allow its impact and community relevance to speak louder, noting that third-party testimonials remain one of the strongest forms of credibility.
Other contributors commended SBS FM for supporting grassroots initiatives, including providing publicity for a Musabaqoh held at Alabidun Compound, Ilorin, while calls were also made for more political and policy analysis programmes. Ibuowo Temidayo further suggested the inclusion of Pidgin English alongside English and Yoruba to widen audience reach.