Born on 25th October 1951 at Ibadan, Oyo State, to the Dokpesi family from Agenebode in Edo State he attended Ebenezer African Church School, Ekotedo, Ibadan; Loyola College, Ibadan; Wyzsza Szkota Morska Gdynia, Poland; and University of Gdansk Sopot, Poland. Born without a silver spoon, Dokpesi started early in life when he had to help his mother sell rice and dodo at the age of 16. As a pioneer student of the present University of Benin, then Midwest Institute of Technology (MIT), it was difficult to raise the initial 10 pounds loan to deposit as tuition fees. The Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, gave him a scholarship to a Polish university.
With a first class Bachelor of Science degree in Marine Engineering, a Master of Science degree in Marine Transport Engineering and a Doctor of Economic Science degree in Marine Transport Engineering Chief (Dr) Raymond Anthony Aleogho Dokpesi worked as an Assistant Lecturer at University of Gdansk Poland and had the dream of becoming a professor before he met Olusegun Obasanjo who invited him back home in 1978. He then joined the Federal Ministry of Transport.
In 1984, he set up the African Ocean Lines with Chief M. K. O Abiola, General Shehu Musa Yar A’dua and Alhaji Bamanga Tukur. In 1989 he resigned from the company to go solo. His venture into broadcasting when he discovered a gap in information dissemination in the process of his tour of local governments during a political campaign.
In the early 1990s, as a result of the historic National Broadcasting Commission decree, Nigerian media was dominated by the government only. Information was only made possible from government owned broadcasting firms. However, the Head of State then General 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 Raymond Dokpesi, and was also Africa’s first satellite T.V. station. Today Dokpesi is regarded as the media guru of Nigeria. Some also refer to him as the Ted Turner of Nigeria. Dokpesi not only pioneered the first satellite TV but also the first privately owned radio station in Nigeria.
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