President Muhammadu Buhari has warmly felicitated with multi-talented artiste and veteran broadcaster, Chief Julie Coker, on her 80th birthday, joining the creative industry to celebrate the iconic culture ambassador, musician and author.
President Buhari congratulated the Yeye Eto of Lagos for a sterling career in journalism and performing arts, coming into limelight as a female broadcaster in Africa’s first television station, Western Nigerian Television (WNTV, Ibadan), which started transmission on October 31, 1959, and sustaining the grace 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, the President believed Chief 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.
President 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.
The President prayed that the Almighty God will grant Chief Coker longer life, good heath and more grace to pursue and actualize her dreams of making life better for others.