My older brothers improvised an antenna rather than procure the original. A white and long fluorescent bulb was often used, mounted to a long pole and then stuck to the ground if long enough (which was preferred as it availed us easy turning when searching for active stations) or mounted to the roof in search of available frequencies. The latter often involved careful situation to a direction that gives the best signal.
The signals never seemed to be static and were worse often when rain fell. We would take turns turning the invented fluorescent bulb antennas in different directions till we got a fairly stable and strong signal. While at least one person stayed out to turn the antenna in different directions, another stayed in the sitting room to tune the knobs in search of a channel.
The channels weren't usually many; the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) and Kwara TV were the regulars. These channels came alive at specific times, usually between 7 a.m. and 11 a.m. and also, 4 p.m. to midnight, respectively.
Our favorites were the old-time TV series such as Tales by Moonlight, Village Headmaster, Papa Ajasco, and other sweet programs. We were often excited to watch these programs, even though for limited times, as we had chores to do most times. The 9 p.m. bond my dad had with the network news was without debate. Perhaps I have come to appreciate listening to such news as adulthood gradually knocked.
With all our efforts, our prayers were that there would be a power supply to watch the programs. This power supply was by the National Electric Power Authority (NEPA). NEPA actually had the remote to the emerging digital world. They decided if we would even have access to tune the knobs or not. Their most wicked acts were usually when we got engrossed with TV programs, and at the nick of suspense, the NEPA would switch off the light. The chorus of 'NEPA' in the neighborhood is usually in unison, followed by several curses. Maybe this is one reason I swore never to work in the latest industry—they seemed to know when programs were at the peak of suspense before switching off the power.
Life, however, is now much, much better with several alternative channels and even digital gadgets that can be accessed even as mobile devices. The nostalgia of those times when we struggled to access the channels remains fresh and perhaps lost with our generation while we now have access to live and recorded feeds of life in different parts of the world, even in different time zones.
How truly time flies and technology advances!