Raymond Dokpesi

Chief Raymond Anthony Aleogho Dokpesi (25 October 1951 – 29 May 2023) was a Nigerian media businessman.

His parents were from Agenebode, Edo state in a family including six sisters.

He entered the Nigerian mass media industry with his company DAAR Communications and set-up the Nigerian TV network Africa Independent Television (AIT).

One of Dokpesi's first businesses, Africa Ocean Lines, was the first indigenous shipping line in Africa, and was established in the 1980s.

Although the business did not last long, it contributed to the Nigerian shipping industry, as it helped formulate the Nigerian Shipping Act Decree 1986, which stated the sharing of formula 40:20:20 for cargo between developed and developing countries.

In the early 1990s, as a result of the historic National Broadcasting Commission decree, according to Muyiwa Oyinlola, Nigerian media was dominated by the government only.

Information was only made possible by government-owned broadcasting firms.

However, the Head of State, then General Ibrahim Babangida, issued another decree which allowed private broadcasting in Nigeria.

After this decree came the first private television network in Nigeria, Africa Independent Television (AIT).

AIT was pioneered by Dokpesi, and was also Africa's first satellite Television station.

Dokpesi not only pioneered the first satellite TV, but also the first privately owned radio station in Nigeria.

According to the journalist Kolapo, Raymond claimed that AIT set the standard for salary structure in the media industry in which Nigerian Television Authority imitated.

Dokpesi started as the personal assistant to Alhaji Bamaga Tukur, one of the general managers 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.

He also assumed the same role during Alhaji Adamu Ciroma's presidential campaign and Tukur's presidential campaign in 1993, as well as during Peter Odili's presidential campaign.

Dokpesi was one of the leaders of the South-South People Assembly (SSPA) an organisation that seeks to promote the South South people of Nigeria.

In 1994, Dokpesi launched the first Nigerian private FM radio station, RayPower.

Two years later, he launched Africa Independent Television.

On 20 September 2003, Africa Independent Television launched its signals in the United States.

Presently, AIT is received in the United States, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Europe-wide on the Hotbird satellite as well as countries within Africa.

Dokpesi also had his hands in politics.

One of his first political assignments was as a political campaign manager for the Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, which saw Tukur into the then-Gongola now-Adamawa state government house.

On 4 October 2010, Dokpesi was arrested for his alleged role the Abuja car bombings.

He was released after spending nine hours in detention and afterward sued the country's secret police for alleged wrongful imprisonment.

He was the organising committee chairman of the People's Democratic Party national conference in 2015.

On 11 November 2015, Dokpesi, on behalf of the PDP party, made a public apology due to the mismanagement of Nigeria under the PDP government.

"Make no mistake, the PDP is aware that there were errors made along the way. We admit that at certain times in our past, mistakes have been made; we did not meet the expectations of Nigerians. We tender an apology. But the past is exactly what it is. We call on all party faithful, supporters and sympathisers to partner us going forward."

Dokpesi also criticised the PDP for fielding Goodluck Jonathan as the PDP's presidential candidate in the March 2015 elections.

On 9 December 2015, Dokpesi and his company, Daar Holding and Investment Limited, were charged in the Federal High Court, Abuja in a US$2.1 billion money laundering scam.

The FG claimed the money was budgeted for weapons procurement for the Nigerian military to fight against the Boko Haram militants, but was confirmed diverted by Sambo Dasuki, the then National Security Advisor, to Dokpesi's Daar Holding and Investment Limited for the Nigerian presidential election of 2015 in favour of President Goodluck Jonathan.

The court charges, marked "FHC/ABJ/CR/380/2015" and filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) indicated that they are accused of violating the Money Laundering Act, the EFCC Act and the Public Procurement Act.

In 2017, Dokpesi contested for the PDP National Chairmanship position, but lost to Uche Secondus.

As of March 2020, he was still undergoing a trial on corruption charges.

In May 2020, Dokpesi survived a serious COVID-19 infection.

He suffered a stroke shortly after the 2023 Ramadan fastRaymond died from a fall on his treadmill o

on 29 May 2023.

Dokpesi started his early schooling with Loyola College, Ibadan.

After this, he joined the Immaculate Conception College (ICC) in 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 Edo State and completed his studies in University of Gdansk, Poland where he earned his Doctorate degree in Marine Engineering.

His studies, from secondary school to university level, was sponsored by Alhaji Bamanga Tukur.