IGN!S
Nigerian based American broadcaster and on-air personality, Dan Foster passes on to glory. The veteran radio presenter and founder of the gospel Praise Jam was reported to have passed away yesterday as a result of complications from COVID-19.
The news of the death of Dan Foster came as a rude shock and a heartbreaking development as it came shortly after the passing of another well celebrated person in the Christian and entertainment space, Mrs. Ibidunni Ighodalo.
Dan Foster had been a big player on the forefront of contemporary gospel music in Nigeria and integrating it into the pop culture mindset of the youth. Being a born again Christian, he was passionate about preaching the gospel and he can be quoted as saying:
“I’ve been here twelve years and on the radio doing God’s will. I’m just a messenger of God, a prayer and a praise warrior; that’s what I do. I’m a worshiper of the Most High God”
It was the passion for the things of God that birthed the PRAISE JAM project during his time at Cool FM 96.9FM. The first ever edition was done in 2004 with over 22,000 attendees. He had since then gone on to make his impact on the gospel entertainment scene as the PRAISE JAM has been an annual success since 2004.
BRIEF BIO OF DAN FOSTER
Daniel ‘Dan’ Foster – popularly known as The Big Dawg and Top Dawg – was an American radio personality based in Nigeria. Formerly an Idol series judge he also held a similar position with the Got Talent franchise.
Foster was brought up with his three siblings in Washington, D.C. by their father – their mother had died when he was ten – but was partly raised in Baltimore by his grandmother.
As a teenager, Foster was rebellious, but after a stint with the United States Marine Corps, he attended Morgan State University where he studied Broadcasting and Drama.
Foster worked with numerous radio stations including Cathy Hughes Radio One, Mix 106.5 both in America, ] before moving to Nigeria in 2000 where he joined Cool FM, quickly becoming popular with Nigerian listeners, although he was constantly criticised for his constant use of the word “Ikebe”. A year later, he received an award for Best Radio Presenter Of The Year. He also won the 2003, 2004, and 2005 Nigeria Media Merit Awards for ‘Best Radio Personality’.
Foster was honoured by the City People Awards as “Media Person of the year” in 2004 and 2005. He was also the creator and director of the Cool Fm Praise Jam concerts that commenced from 2004 with a total of over 22, 000 people in attendance.
In September 2009, Foster left Cool FM for the newly-established Inspiration FM, but left in 2014 to join City FM.
In May 2016, Foster left City FM 105.1 to join Classic FM 97.3 radio station where he worked until his death in June 2020.
In 2007, Foster was a judge on the one-off Idols West Africa series, alongside Nigerian Dede Mabiaku and Ghanaian Abrewa Nana. In 2013, he was a judge on Nigeria’s Got Talent alongside actress Kate Henshaw and comedian Yibo Koko.
Foster had a son, Joshua, from his previous marriage. Married to a Nigerian, Lovina, the couple were parents of daughters Kayla and Daniella and son Somtochukwu.
