Popular TV presenter, Rachel Bakam, dies at 38

RENOWNED television producer/presenter, Rachel Bakam, also known as Rachel the PIPER has died, aged 38. 

Her death was announced on Tuesday, though the cause was yet to be ascertained.

Recall that on March 23, Bakam shared on her official Instagram page her first Coronavirus test result, which returned negative.

She, however, stated she was expecting in four days time the advanced result of the test “even though the spirit of God told me I don’t have it”.

Born and brought up in Kaduna State, where she had her primary, secondary, and tertiary education, she studied English and Theatre Arts at the Ahmadu Bello University and, later digital filmmaking at New York Film Academy.

Having lost her father at the age of 12, she started working at 16, first as a salesgirl in a supermarket, later in a recording studio.

Bakam a prolific actress, writer, TV presenter and producer, and an anti-human trafficking ambassador. She would be remembered for her lead role in a Hausa drama series known as Rayuwa.

She did her National Youth Service Corps at Nigerian Television Authority International, where she produced and presented different TV programmes like Trends, Saturday Morning, and Style Code.

She proceeded to study digital film making at New York Film Academy and thereafter established Rayzed Media Ltd.

She was the CEO and Managing Director of Rayzeds Media Ltd, Founder & President of the Nigerian Water Ski And Wakeboard Federation (NWWF) and media consultant for the Performing Musician Employers Association (PMAN) and African Fashion Reception Paris.

Bakam was a peace and tourist ambassador. She was 2015 alumna of United States International Visitors Leadership Programme. She hoste9 Trends & Rachel, a popular television show that aired on Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), African Independent Television (AIT), DSTV, and Startimes.

She also produced and presented Rachel the PIPER and Hausa version of Rachel Mai Kakaaki, a television programme.

She was president of Literary and Debating Club then Head Girl in Kaduna Capital School, best graduating female student and best graduating student of faculty of arts in Ahmadu Bello University Zaria.

Bakam brought water skiing and wakeboarding to Nigeria. In 2016, she got an endorsement deal with Numatville Megacity.

She joined non-government organisations, such as Devatop Centre for Africa Development in campaigning against sex trafficking and other forms of modern slavery in Nigeria.

She was a Media Consultant for the African Fashion Reception Paris.

After the Southern Kaduna crisis, where more than 800 people, mostly Christians were killed, Rachel Bakam and John Fashanu joined Big Church Foundation to support the victims with relief materials.