Anyone delighted by the rhyme and rhythm of poetry who also watched a popular American crime thriller S.W.A.T. or is familiar with military operations (SWAT is Special Weapons And Tactics in military jargon) would be struck by the chimed rhyme between her name Swat and SWAT.
Many of her radio fans are certainly aware of this curious alliteration and have sometimes asked her in some incredulous tone by phone on her popular breakfast show – “Morning Crossfire” – on 95.1Fm Nigeria Info, Abuja.
“How come with the name ‘Swat’? What language is that and what does it mean?” The Dream Daily Newspaper shot at ‘Your Vocal Majesty’ Swat Duniah under the cool evening skies of a popular family fun destination cum shopping mall in the Central Area of Abuja where our three-hour long chat took place.
“It is the short form of my full name, Swatkasa, which means ‘living life’ or ‘live your life in the world’ in Ju Language, which is the language of my people, the Bajju People of Southern Kaduna. I’m Bajju from Jema’a Local Government, Southern Kaduna,” Swat purred in that svelte, sonorous voice unmistakable on 95.1Fm Nigeria Info, Abuja every morning from Sunday through Friday as she co-hosts “Morning Crossfire” with either her regular co-host, Ofi Ejembi, or a stand-in male on-air personality (OAP).
“It is a common name among my people, so I sometimes wonder when people look incredulous and ask me about the name. The short form ‘Swat’ is a lot easier for people to pronounce, especially for non-Ju speakers so that is why I use it more than the full form,” she explained further with her equally famous, delightful high-pitch giggle.
The daughter of a United States-trained Aeronautic Engineer who also served briefly in the Nigerian Air Force, and a civil servant mother who passed on some years back after retiring from service as a director, Swat was educated at Premiere Nursery School, Kaduna Capital Primary School, Bethel Baptist High School, all in Kaduna her birthplace and home state.
“Growing up was amazing. I had the best childhood ever. Though I am not from a wealthy family, my parents made sure that I didn’t miss out on anything they could afford. I grew up at SMC Quarters, Kaduna among civil servants from different ethnic groups. It was fun growing up in this amazing environment; our parents were friends, nobody was showing off to the others and all that. And it was really, really fun. My parents also took us to other places outside Kaduna on holidays like Jos, for Christmas. I think I got my love for travel from those trips,” Swat told The Dream Daily.
Swat studied Law at the famous Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and was called to the Bar after the mandatory further training at the Nigerian Law School in Lagos. “How did a trained lawyer end up an OAP on radio”? The Dream Daily asked.
That rich laughter rang out again: “It is a long story o,” Swat said amid the laughter, “but I will make it short”, she assured: “Growing up in Kaduna I had this strong pull towards radio. Then there was this programme on 90.872FM Kaduna State Media Corporation (KSMC), “Teens Garden”, which I liked so much and I was a regular contributor through letters to the programme. It was presented by an Indian, a young Indian girl. One day she got admitted into a school and she had to leave the show for school. To my surprise while on air she mentioned my name, out of the blues, and said she would like me to replace her on the show, and invited me to the station! When I got there, they asked me if could take over from her as presenter of “Teens Garden”; they asked if I was sure I could do it. Although I wasn’t sure, I said ‘yes’ and that was it. That was how I got on radio.
“Shortly thereafter, I also got admission to ABU to study Law but I was so much in love with the job that I didn’t give it up, so I juggled schooling with presenting on radio, shuttling between Zaria and Kaduna. That was how I got on radio. I only stopped when I went to serve and to Law School in Lagos.”
For her first proper job after law school and the service year, Swat worked in a Kaduna law firm. However she said: “My mind was not in the job after some time. Although I got high accolades from my bosses in the law firm and I was highly commended for my presentations in court, the radio pull was just too strong on me. It got to the point that I was not happy on the job. I was always looking at the clock for the day to end so that I can just leave. My boss noticed this and was wondering why I was no longer interested in law practice.
“One day as we prepared to go to court, of course I was reluctant and was just dragging myself along, I bent down to gather some documents and my KSMC identity card, which I retained, fell out of my bag. I tried hiding it from my boss, who was watching me but he saw it and asked to see what it was. He then said ‘oh is this why you have changed? Is this where you mind is now?’ I put up some half-hearted defence but my boss said it was okay if that is what I wanted to do.
“One day I just resigned from the job! My parents were very angry with me and they punished me by not giving me money. For six month I was at home doing nothing; it was the longest period of waiting in my life. I didn’t find it funny at all. But eventually they gave me a job at KSMC and I went back on radio. Then I went off radio again to work for an NGO for two years but eventually I went back on radio at Brilla FM from where I joined Nigeria Info.”
“Many radio fans often wonder about the persona or personality behind the voices of the OAPs they hear on radio. Who is Swat Duniah? The Dream Daily asked.
“Oh Lord Jesus”, Swat erupted in laughter tinged with a bit of shyness even as she answered thoughtfully, sweetly and slowly: “I’m a work in progress, a rainbow in different colours. I’m fierce, passionate and I’m focus-driven. Behind all these lies a kind, compassionate, vulnerable yet bold woman…” More laughter, then she added: “I’m a daughter, a friend, a student of life, a teacher. There are so many things I’m not but that I hope to be; and there are so many things I am that I am thankful for.”
Surprisingly an ardent fan gave Swat her radio moniker, “Your Vocal Majesty”: “I got that radio name from a caller on the Let’s Talk Show when I co-presented it with Ruth Usman. His name is Bright Young, a motivational speaker who called in one day on the show and said so many nice, sweet things about us, me and Ruth, and at the end of it all he said something like ‘permit me to address both of you as Your Vocal Majesties’ and that was it for me. I so much loved it and so I adopted it as my radio moniker or radio nickname.”
Swat has had many memorable moments on radio. However, what really gladdens her heart is “when callers or listeners say their lives had been transformed by listening to me, to what I say on radio. That gives me a lot of joy.”
As on radio, Swat comes across in real life as a strong woman and considers herself a feminist even though she is of the opinion that “people have a negative image of feminism. I think feminism is simply asking that the rights of women be given to them, that women should not suffer from any gender-based discrimination, that men should respect women and that women too should respect men. That is feminism for me,” she stressed.
Inevitably The Dream Daily asked pointedly: “Who is Swat’s ideal man. Her answer was deep, profound: “Someone I can learn from. Someone broad-minded, teachable. Someone who can learn and unlearn, and relearn. I’m not out for the handsome, charming physical look. I believe a man should lead. That is not an easy task. To lead, you must be learned. If I can’t learn from a man in profound ways, then that’s just it for me; he is not my ideal man.”
“What one advice would Swat give the Girl-Child?” That deep, thoughtful look took over her face again, then she answered: “Love yourself. Aspire. Don’t be put down by what society says. Be because you can.”
If Swat were President of Nigeria for one day what will she change? “The mindset of Nigerians,” she answered. Why? “Because everything starts from there; from the mind. What ought to be, the right, proper way to behave, belief in the country, patriotism, putting our nation first, all of these come from the mind. Changing the mindset of Nigerians in these ways will set the pace, set us on the track to change things for the better,” she explained with a fresh burst of energy.
While she commended the Nigerian Media, Swat, who has two brothers and four sisters, said the media had not done enough to help the country, “given the constitutional role we are expected to perform by holding government accountable to the people. We have contributed to the problem through sensationalism, lazy reportage and political partisanship. I feel sad about this. We should be independent. We can do more to live up to our constitutional responsibility,” she stressed.
As “a never say never person” Swat does not rule out going back to law practice in the future, even as she currently proffer legal advice for free if consulted by anyone around her.
However, in five to 10 years Swat sees herself putting all of her academic (she also holds a postgraduate diploma in Public Administration from ABU, Zaria), professional and life experiences into becoming “a media mogul, a philanthropist, a positive influence on society, a big game changer in the service of humanity.”
Nice one