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Ayuba Lasira: Charming the people of Palu
AYUBA LASIRA (OM KOTA): (JP/Ruslan Sangadji) Ayuba Lasira has a persona not unlike Adrian Cronauer, the lead character from the 1987 film Good Morning Vietnam, who was played to perfection by actor Robin Williams
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AYUBA LASIRA (OM KOTA): (JP/Ruslan Sangadji)
Ayuba Lasira has a persona not unlike Adrian Cronauer, the lead character from the 1987 film Good Morning Vietnam, who was played to perfection by actor Robin Williams.
Cronauer was an American Air Force radio jockey whose Saigon broadcasts became popular among American troops serving in the Vietnam War. He would begin his daily show with the greeting "Good morning, Vietnam ..." in his own comical, charismatic style.
Just as Cronauer greeted his devotees in the morning, Ayuba Lasira hails his listeners over the airwaves of RRI (Republic of Indonesia Radio) Palu every afternoon.
Ayuba reads aloud Palu daily news, randomly, leaving received Indonesian at the doorstep. He talks about missing people, marriages, deaths, sports and just about anything else. His followers have nicknamed him Om Kota: City Uncle.
He speaks in a mixture of Indonesian and locally spoken Kaili in colloquial and comical tones. His homegrown style has made him a favorite among Palu listeners, particularly homemakers.
These two broadcasters, Cronauer and Ayuba, may come from vastly different circumstances and eras, but both cope with the world through a comic lens. They bring equanimity to their listeners through humor.
Om Kota, 59, often serves as a master of ceremonies at outside events. Even when he's not on the radio, everyone knows it's him when they hear his familiar voice and signature greeting: "My respectable nephews and nieces". The "nephews and nieces" relax under the spell of his casual and homey tone.
"They call me Om Kota. This means that I'm the uncle of all the residents of the city of Palu and they are all my nephews and nieces," he told The Jakarta Post, chuckling.
Om Kota, who always sports a cap and a broad smile, began his career in 1969 at the Donggala information office. In 1972 he moved to RRI to work in studio operations. In 1986 he began a 20-year stint as a radio reporter and broadcaster in the news section of RRI.
Om Kota works up his material from the standard fare of daily events and packages it in his 4 o'clock city report.
"The city report actually began as far back as 1975. I took it over in 1987 which is when I started using the name Om Kota," he said.
Otman Pontoh, he added, created the moniker Om Kota.
"Back then Otman Pontoh was head of the RRI news section. He dubbed me Om Kota," said the father of two and grandfather of three.
In 2006, Om Kota retired from RRI. But it was difficult to find someone to replace him -- and his charisma -- so RRI continued him on under contract just to handle the city report.
Retirement has not meant he has slowed down. He still MC's many events.
Journalist habits die hard so he still goes out every day into the field to gather stories.
Om Kota has become somewhat of an icon for Palu municipality, much like Kang Ibing in Bandung. His unique voice is everpresent on the city's airwaves.
Om Kota, unassailably popular, said he finds it difficult these days to get access to news-makers. An increase in protocol has made approaching high-ranking officials harder.
For this reason, he has become more critical -- still keeping it light with humor -- in his broadcasts.
"I've retired from RRI, but I've never retired from being a journalist," he said.
Sometimes his listeners rebuke him for providing the wrong information by calling into the station. Once he announced wrong details about a blackout schedule, but the mistake didn't faze him.
"In fact, I only read the release sent out by the public relations department at the electric company, PLN; it wasn't my mistake. Some listeners, however, didn't care and called me to task. That's the risk I have to take as Om Kota."
Om Kota has branched out. Aside from his usual RRI broadcast, Om Kota makes a guest appearance on TVRI Palu every Friday afternoon on the three-anchor talk show ATM, which stands for Ayuba, Tasrif and Midu.
ATM invites local figures on the air to discuss specific topics. Om Kota's visits to this program provides special entertainment for the residents of Palu.
Even today, RRI Palu admits it would be difficult to find a successor for Om Kota, since nobody else can match his comical style.
