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Summer Rain, Beautiful in Nigeria (Ibifuro Thompson Tatua)

By: Ibifuro Thompson Tatua

Great to be back here this holiday season. It is a period when families mingle and connect with each other and also a time to connect with friends and loved ones. The rains have been most soothing and I  can almost hear my heart leap  in appreciation of mother Africa! The green’s and the cool weather. Africa my home. Africa the home of great Mandela!!

This edition will be taking a peep in to the socio-political and social economic future of our land, projecting the activities of key players who through their actions shape the happens-stance of the next level of development into the generations yet unborn. This edition like others will take a glance into the events albeit  historic pasts, present fashion, culinary arts and icons and role models will be brought under review.

Recall our last edition took us on a tour of women in our polity and those entrepreneurs who as women have taken jumbo steps in the areas of their chosen call using their vast knowledge, creativity, inspiration, reputation and skills to impact viability and sectorial growth. These women like many others we have identified are unstopable despite the rough terrains they operate

This is the raison d’etre of BOSS Africa magazine as a publication. Our search light is still on persons , leading edges and markets who are catalysts, whistle blowers and risk takers in the interest of their societies. They may be women, men , sectors , markets and or youths who have exemplified themselves . We found Chief E.K. Clark - An enigma! A distinct and erudite scholar whose style and actions have culminated into influencing on our polity bringing the right or near mix of healthy international insights with local national relevance . BOSS Africa is found this statesman especially in Nigeria where good governance is gaining relevance for an encounter with our readers. While inviting you to take a reading tour of this edition, we like to re-iterate that our man under focus truly confirms that ‘’education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world’’ -Nelson Mandela.

Beyond this, this edition guarantees a full bloom of African matters that shape African businesses. Our curiosity  on the true meaning of apprciation took us on a mission of creativity and style where we discovered that voice and text are insufficient to buttress that Great men gain encomiums by textile, painting, sculpture and carvings. Find out more of the MANDELA in and out of season.

How can we thank you enough  for your loyalty, support through subscription and those advert pages on this veritable medium ?

Enjoy!

Ibifuro Thompson Tatua

PUBLISHER BOSS AFRICA MAGAZINE
CC: Boss PAN Africa

BOSS MAN: KECEE!

Baby please give me tonight (Tonight)

I’m going crazy tonight (Tonight)

Oh let me be your maga tonight (Your Maga) tonight

I want to be your maga tonight (Your lover) tonight

Oya Limpopo baby make we go Limpopo

Oya Limpopo baby make we go Limpopo

I say go Limpopo so make we go Limpopo

O yeah tonight oh tonight !

The lines above from ‘limpopo’ crooner KCEE would no doubt be very popular with most Lagosians. Indeed, it is hard to imagine there are Lagosians for whom the lines do not raise feelings of excitement. From virtually every street, bar, restaurant, club or home in Lagos and other parts of Nigeria or Africa you will hear the speakers banging and the crowd singing aloud to “Oya Limpopo!” Surely this is about the most popular party song in the land. No wonder its creator has already bagged the City People Most Popular Song of the Year award and Best Collabo of the Yearaward.

In light of KCEE’s growth from strength to strength as a member of the defunct KC PRESH duo (winners of the first edition of STAR QUEST, a music reality TV show) and now a new and big brand, BOSS AFRICA MAGAZINE decided to celebrate the ‘Limpopo King’s’ success story. KCEE shared his thoughts and experiences with our man Jesse Clef at the star singer’s Lagos home.

By: Jessy Clef 

BOSS: Please tell us your real name and where you come from.

KCEE: I am Kingsley Chinweike Okonnkwo, and that’s where the coinage KCEE came from. I am from Anambra State and proudly an Igbo boy. Ok, that’s what’s up. I am a musician, a singer, a performer and also a writer.

BOSS: Your educational background?

KCEE: I grew up in the ghetto, in AJ (Ajegunle) to be precise. There I attended Tolu Primary School. My parents tried their best to upgrade my education, after my primary school they got me enrolled in Central High School Okota, Isolo. From Ajegunle to Isolo! That’s some upgrading! [Laughs]. Anyway, after my secondary school, I attended UNN (University of Nigeria Nsuka) where I studied Arts (Painting). I had to dedicate myself to music; after all, all of them are Arts.

BOSS: So if its not Music you will still be making money?

KCEE: Yes, of course! In fact, if you look around you will see small paintings here and there. So I try.

Jesse and KCEE

BOSS: How did this whole music thing start?

KCEE: I will say music for me started from my family. My father was a DJ. He had record stores, about four of them. Back in the days when we were in school, after school we used to go to our father’s record stores in order to encourage and support the business. That was how my love for music started. Then I listened to a whole lot of music as we had varieties ranging from dance hall, highlife to Afro and what have you.

BOSS: Those days when you used to go to your father’s record shop, which songs were in vogue then and which was your favourite?

KCEE: Ah! I remember then we had people like Fela. Whenever Fela dropped an album you didn’t have a choice; you had to get over fifty copies because the next minute you would hear it had finished. I also remember that part a lot when people queued up to have Fela’s any new release. I also remember the likes of Mandators, Ras Kimono, Daniel Wilson, Onyeka Owenu, Orlando and Oliver de Coque. Those days we had more of highlife music and rooted music, which made more sales. Away from that, the likes of Jimmy Cliff and Kenny Rogers also made more sales.

BOSS: You are sounding like you were born in the early 80’s?

KCEE: Sometimes yes, sometimes…excuse me! [Laughs]

Actually, Nigerian music started gaining ground when the shift from highlife started. I remember those days when I watched TV and would say to myself: “Yes, someday I will become a star. Someday I want to do this. Someday I want to do that.” That was how music started for me. Before music I was doing football. I play football so well and once played professionally. I remember the first time I traveled out of Nigeria; it was for football, because I used to play for Julius Berger and I also played for Puma. I had thought it would be football for me, because then they used to take me on loan. Dem dey come hire me to go play for other teams and all that.

BOSS: Do you have a twin brother who is a clearing agent?

KCEE: Yes, I have a brother but not a twin. We are of the same mother and father and most of you know him as E-Money. In fact, he owns the record label 5 Star Music of which I happen to be vice president and he president. He is my brother and he has so much love for entertainment.

BOSS: I hear you do other businesses but use music as cover.

KCEE: Make I laugh first! Those gists are past now. The thing is that when you become successful people will tell a whole lot of lies about you. For me if I play back my tape from the top, a lot of people have been saying a lot. When you have style, people say different things about you. The music business is big and it pays a lot, trust me. If you don’t know, then you need to know it right now, especially since the involvement of the telecom companies and other cooperate bodies in the system.

BOSS: Are you worried by the  criticisms of your lifestyle ?

KCEE: We do a whole lot of events and most people don’t know. If you put this whole thing together and if you are someone that knows how to manage resources, definitely you will have to live big. You see, people misunderstand this maybe because they are hungry or because they don’t have. It may also be because they hate or they just want to say one thing or the other. My advice to such people is for them to stop hating. The time you spend in hating other people should be invested into something more meaningful. All you need to do is to work your way to the top.

@THE INTERVIEW

BOSS: I got to know you from Star Quest. What was the journey like prior to Star Quest and thereafter?

KCEE: As I said, music for me started from my family background. While I was in secondary school I represented my school in music, dancing, acting and all of that. It was from there that I joined the choir where I met my partner Presh and we formed the group KC Presh. Just a year after we formed the group we heard about Star Quest and registered. As God would have it, we came out victorious as the first ever winners of Star Quest. This was how music started professionally for me, but before then we used to sing around the neighborhood in AJ, going from one event to another believing that someday we were going to have a platform and opportunity to express ourselves. God designed if for us as we became the first ever winners of Star Quest.

BOSS: Is it true that it was Eedris Abdulkareem that talked you guys into registering for Star Quest?

KCEE: The story about our journey to Star Quest will not be complete without mentioning Julius Agwu. Those days when we were trying to get an interview with Mariam Arthur on NTA we met Julius Agwu. I remember that morning when he asked us to do something for him. We did an acapela and he said, “Yeah, you guys are good”. He went ahead to tell us something about a Gold Circle Condom tour on HIV awareness. He said it would be nice for us to come up with a song or songs that would fit the purpose of the tour and that it might give us an opportunity to perform. We actually did and he introduced us to the organizers of the event, who gave us 10 slots at twenty thousand naira per show. Then that twenty thousand naira seemed like 2 million naira. This was like twelve years ago. Imagine yourself just out from the ghetto and getting paid a total sum of two hundred thousand naira twelve years ago.

When we went for the first show, we did so well. Then we had the likes of Plantashun Boiz and The Remedies in that same event. When we went to Obodu to perform, Eedris was there and after our performance Eedris was like, “Wow! You guys are good!” That was when he mentioned Star Quest to us, because he was under Kennis Music, who had the opportunity of signing any winner of Star Quest. He had the information and asked us to give it a shot. So when we got back to Lagos, we registered for Star Quest and people like Eedris and Julius Agwu monitored our rehearsals, making sure we were on point and at the end of the day we came out victorious.

BOSS: So that looked like the highest point for you?

KCEE: Yeah! I will never forget that day. It was a transformation point for me; it was like a breakthrough. The day we won I was crying all through. All the cameras and pressmen were videoing and snapping me but they never knew why I was crying. I was crying because I was looking for that opportunity and God gave it to me on a platter of gold.

The success that I have today is actually because I had the belief and drive to get to where I am right now. From day one I have always put in all my strength in anything I do and when I got that platform I said to myself, “Oh, this will take me away from poverty”. I was so excited and my parents were crying because they were at home watching it on TV too.

I went to church the next morning giving thanks and testimony. Then I used to wake up every morning rushing to the church, ensuring that the church was clean before service because I was the choir master and music instructor then. My partner Presh and I made sure that the music equipment was always on point, after which we would rush back home, get dressed and come back to the church for service.

Joyful KCEE

BOSS: What led to the break up?

KCEE: Actually, nothing serious -- no fight, no quarrels. The breakup was just a mutual agreement and decision we took. We just decided to do a solo project, a solo recording that we both agreed and embarked on. For me I took it as a do-or-die thing. I took it like I must express myself, because when we broke up a lot of people said a lot of things. Like people were saying on the Internet, “Oh, you can’t sing. You need to go back to the village or you need to go back to Onitsha and start selling clothes”.

They said a lot of things and for me I have this shock absorber in my heart. Any time you say something negative I don’t say a word; I just work hard trying to prove you wrong. Even my close pals and my family members used to say, “Oh, Presh has a better voice. He sings better, but you got swag and stuff, so let’s just see how it goes”. I really think God designed it that way, too, to make them encourage me and give me the ginger. I took all that like, “Huh, I can never be disappointed.”

BOSS: So, it’s really not the best voice that does the best song?

KCEE: Definitely. It’s everywhere in the world; it’s just your hard work and your voice. I can mention two names that have made it big in the industry. If you call someone like D’banj to sing an R&B feel, he cannot sing it better than Banky W, but the good thing is that they are both successful doing what they know how to do best. It’s not about the voice; it’s about what you have and what you want to give back to the people.

BOSS: You have actually been doing well since the commencement of your solo project and I must commend you for that. You have sequentially dropped three banging singles from ‘Okpekete’, ‘Give it to me’ and now the rave of the moment, ‘Limpopo’. Who is behind those singles in terms of production and promotion?

KCEE: I have a team, a very strong team and my team members are very hungry in the sense that they want to make a name and have a very strong impact in the industry. They really believe so much in my drive. I have people like Delbi, a producer. He did ‘Opekete Remix’, ‘Give it to me’ and ‘Limpopo’. He is so hungry to stamp his feet in the production industry as far as music is concerned.

I also have Soso Soberekon, who happens to be my manager. He also believed in the dream from day one and he has been so supportive. He has been doing all the promotion, all the publicity on the Internet and radio. We move every might to make sure people get to hear what we have and do a whole lot of scrutinizing to select songs. We record day and night.

BOSS: From all indications, this is a rebranded KCEE. May we know what this KCEE is all about?

KCEE: Yeah, for me KCEE is born-again in the sense that it is a new KCEE. Formerly it was spelt as KC but now it’s KCEE. It’s a way of rebranding the brand and also the seriousness is like times two because of the challenges that lie ahead. By the grace of God and as far as I am concerned, we are just starting. I call what I do sweet music because if you listen to my songs, you’ll find they are sweet. Whether they are dance or slow, they are sweet beats because we have this new innovation. We said, “Ok, we have to play the R&B chords, we have to hold the sweet chords, the sweet notes and melody bla bla bla on a dance song.”

We actually tried it with ‘Give it to me’ and it worked. We did it with ‘Limpopo’, it became a killer and trust me we have another single coming out soon and I know by the grace of GOD you guys are going to like it too. We don’t want to go below standard, so at all points we want to give you sweet music. The new brand KCEE is associated with sweet music and energetic performance. Anytime you see us on stage now, it’s actually going to be energetic.

BOSS: How soon are you dropping your solo album?

KCEE: My album is ready as we speak right now. We are doing the mixing and mastering but we don’t have any official release date yet. I know in the next one or two months or thereabouts we will be dropping the album. My latest single is due for release anytime soon.

BOSS: How would you rate the industry, projecting the new brand KCEE in the next 5 years?

KCEE: For me the industry is encouraging. As far as I am concerned, we are making big progress getting into the international scene like every other day. Formerly it used to be one or two artistes making international impact, but right now a whole lot of artistes are making that international move. The last time I was in the U.S, I remember I met a couple of artistes who were so willing and eager to come to Nigeria for shows. They want to mix up with Nigerian artistes. I am so excited being part of this movement right now because we have opened doors for the younger ones that are coming behind. You know piracy has been disturbing us from day one and we can’t just keep taking about it. What we need is action and the only way to go about it is for the government to get involved because the government is bigger than everybody, so we need them to stand and fight for us.

Away from that, if you say KCEE five years from now or 10 years from now, sometimes I don’t like that because it’s a long time for me. I want to say one year from now a whole lot will be happening. Already, with two singles I have eight nominations for different awards here and there, in and out of the country. For me it’s encouraging and it makes me happy. I’m so excited and if possible I hope to grab all of them. I also want to make a big impact in the industry internationally and locally. I get a lot of phone calls from other African countries and it is encouraging also. Just watch out for KCEE, more good and sweet music coming out of 5 Star Music and KCEE. We have plans to sing on another artiste who will be unveiled soonest.

BOSS: How many artistes do you have under 5 Star Music?

KCEE: It’s just me on 5 Star Music and the boss, E-Money. We had a meeting last month and decided it was time to sign someone else. My album is ready and we intend working on another project as soon as my album drops.

BOSS: I must say a big thank you for your time on behalf of BOSS AFRICA MAGAZINE. We appreciate and celebrate you.

KCEE: Yeah, me too. I must say thank you to BOSS AFRICA MAGAZINE. It’s a good one; I like the quality of your magazine. It’s awesome and catchy. The content is also nice from what I am seeing here.

BOSS: it’s been fun chatting with you. Honestly, you are making us proud, which is why we are here to celebrate and promote your story of Self Success.

KCEE: . I have one bit of advice for all up-and-coming artistes: As far as I am concerned, if you want to do music, if you want to live big, you should always believe in yourself, pray and work hard. Don’t do it because KCEE is doing it, don’t do it because PSquare is doing it, but do it because you have something you want to give out. Also, remember that there is always a time and season for everybody, so work hard and wait for your time and season. Don’t be jealous, don’t envy anybody, don’t fight or quarrel because you have not arrived yet. All you need to do is to invest your time in building yourself.

I have been recording my song for the past two years and ‘Limpopo’ came out and everybody is dancing to it. A whole lot of marketers have been coming to my house everyday saying they want to market my album, but they were shocked when I played about thirty songs for them. This is an indication that I am so ready for the market. You need to work ahead of time so that when the opportunity comes, you would not be found wanting. Always be ready. Work hard and pray. I love my job!

Diplomatic OPJ, Twitwi & Owitwi WAZOBIA FM meanest crew

By: Jesse Clef

Since the inception of Wazobia FM in Lagos, broadcasting has never been the same. Most radio dials in Lagos are now permanently tuned to the radio station that brings them information and programmes in a language that they can easily relate to.

 Even though most people tend to idolize radio icons, only very few of them actually know or can recognize these on-air personalities; after all, radio is not a visual medium. For this reason, BOSS AFRICA MAGAZINE decided to visit Wazobia 95.FM Lagos, in order to bring these radio personalities closer to our readers.

 Jesse Clef and crew, who visited Wazobia 95.1 FM at their Lagos Island office, report the enthralling experience they had watching these friendly personalities interacting live on air and doing their job with so much ease and joy. The programme was ‘Evening Oyoyo’ and Diplomatic OPJ, Diplomatic Twitwi and Diplomatic Owitwi were available to offer them a warm reception.

First, here is a brief on the ‘Evening Oyoyo’ crew.

•     ‘OPJ’ stands for Opute Pius Jnr. He hails from Ibrede town, an Isoko-speaking part of Ndokwa East Local Government Area in Delta State.

 •     Twitwi is Ayenowowon Oluwatobi Kenneth, from Aboto Ilaje Local Government Area in Ondo State.

•     Owitwi is Ehigiamusoe Sarah Etinosa, from Uhumwonde Local Government Area in Edo 

State.

•     Diplomatic OPJ is happily married while Twitwi and Owitwi are very much single, but whether they are searching is another matter entirely.

BOSS: Please tell us the rationale behind your non-usage of Standard English on your programmes.

OPJ: It is not our rationale; it is not ‘Evening Oyoyo’s’ reasoning. It is simply the management’s rationale, and perhaps the original idea is to bring broadcasting in all its understanding to the grassroots. People no dey hear grammar too much for Nigeria. After all, statistics have shown that 75% of Nigerians are illiterate, so my management deemed it so fit to introduce a pidgin-based radio where we can speak and the people will hear and understand.

BOSS: How effective has this pidgin-based radio been?

 OPJ: Obviously, obviously and obviously it has been glaringly effective and you can see for yourself that Wazobia FM remains the No. 1 radio station in Nigeria. Right from inception till date it has earned that reputation.

BOSS: What makes ‘Evening Oyoyo’ unique as a radio programme?

OPJ: The uniqueness is in our style of presentation, in the sense that it is not pre-planned. We don’t do show prep before the programme; we just come unprepared unlike other presenters on other radio stations who have to prepare for their programmes. It is a programme where we talk with no hold barred. We dey talk am as e be. This is the only programme where government policies are x-rayed and criticized without any fear or favour. No sentiment. We no dey praise government and If you no dey do well, we go tell you to your face.

BOSS: You go fit look Oga Joe for face and tell am say, ‘My Presido, for here you no try o’?

OPJ: Na wa to you o! Goodluck Jonathan? We dey look am for face after him don talk for TV finish. After we don listen to am finish on some national issues, we dey come back here come tell am to him face say no be so o! During the Occupy Ojota fuel subsidy crisis, this was where we asked Jonathan whether during his campaigns he ever told us that he would remove fuel subsidy. We said to him, ‘It was not part of your campaign manifesto, but as soon as you come on board you gave Nigerians fuel subsidy removal as our New Year gift.’

Na here too wey we ask Reuben Abati, his press spokesman, during the Baga killings wey after all their fact findings and all that Reuben Abati was telling Nigerians was that na only 29 people dem kill and they recovered several ammunitions, AK 47guns, grenade launchers, another bomb launcher and you are telling us that all these ammunitions you recovered were able to kill only 29 people, abi? Whereas the press was talking about one hundred and something people being killed and about one thousand seven hundred and something houses being razed. So in a village where one thousand seven hundred and something houses were destroyed only 29 people were killed? Na here we dey ask am ba!

BOSS:With all this liberty wey you dey take ask these questions, do they respond?

 OPJ: As it were, the Nigerian government no dey hear word na!

BOSS: You sure say dem dey hear wetin una dey talk?

OPJ & OWITWI: Dem dey hear o! Dem dey  ear well well.

OPJ:  The thing about Nigerian government be say, you your sef you be

Nigerian person na. How many government functionaries don resign from office wey you know? No matter how you berate them, no matter how you carpet them, if you like curse them reach their family dem no go resign. Which minister don vex resign before?We know they are listening, at most or worst they will say don’t mind those Wazobia people. No be OPJ and him boys? No be OPJ and him group? Yeye people [laughs]…I beg leave them..

 Some of the things we say have also made some positive impact on the society. We effect change in the society. For example, e get some roads way we criticize and after like two weeks when I go pass there again dem don do the road well. So we dey know say we day make impact but we cannot stop talking, because we have an activist nature on this programme. We are activists and that is why we are diplomatic. The programme is a democratic programme, so everybody on this show is a democrat; na democracy we dey practise here, so we dey talk am as e be.

You cannot tell me that in the next twelve months Nigerians will experience steady power supply, that the national grid would have generated up to 8000 megawatts and twelve months pass e still be the same thing. We dey ask Goodluck na! No be so e dey be o! We say it as it is and this is the only programme where you can hear it like that. Na so e be. We are even looking for a way of getting national arrest. Make dem try come arrest us sef.

BOSS: If dem put gun for your head say make you stop talking, wetin you

 go do?  

 OPJ: I go ask the person say for democracy? No be military regime o!  I go tell am say, ‘Oga no be soldier dey rule o’! Na military government dey do like that and now na democracy we dey so.  We have freedom of speech. After all, dem don even pass information bill na.

Okay, look at the people wey dey fight for Rivers State House of Assembly. Dem dey fight like animals and we dey talk am the way we see am. It is so obvious, when a lawmaker dey carry mace dey take flog him fellow lawmaker. Are they students? Thereby giving the police authority the right to shut down the state House of Assembly. Is that not shutting down the homes of hoodlums? We dey talk am for radio like as e be.

BOSS: Twitwi, how you dey cope with Diplomatic OPJ sef?

OPJ: This person wey don finish him state governor for Ondo State? Mimiko, dey find this guy o!

BOSS: Only you dey kill and resurrect your governor.

TWITWI:  No, the guy never die. Our prayer na make him no die. I no talk enter dat side now because this interview is not about him. Na about ‘Evening Oyoyo’.

As for coping with OPJ, OPJ na the best person to work with apart from say we share same political view, apart from say we get similar orientation to a large percentage of our human life and reasoning. Like for our work na the bossing aspect no really dey inside.  OPJ no be person wey you go wan say he is my boss, no be because say no be your boss but na because of the way wey him take welcome you, the way him take you, that makes it so easy working with him.

BOSS: Do you share the same religious belief with OPJ?

TWITWI:  We get the same similarities but our differences dey when it comes to religion.   Our religious similarities plenty sha.One common similarity way I get with am na say I always say this about this part of the world because I never travel commot from this country before. Most people in this part of the world do not really understand their religion, because if you understand your religion you will understand that you are supposed to be a teacher and a preacher of that religion.  Not just somebody who listens to one person taking all the time.  This religion is like a handout that has been given by another believer of that religion, like a lecturer to his students and without the presence of your lecturer you should be able to study the handout and pass your exams.

OPJ: In addition to what Twitwi is saying, the idea of make you dey go church every day wey na only one man dey talk, na only pastor dey talk, what is he talking about in the Bible that I don’t know?

TWITWI:  Apart from even the Christianity or religious angle, we need leadership.  Every association or organization needs leaders and all that, but the truth be say attributing so much to only one person, that one no good.

BOSS: Let me take you up on the issue of leadership and una [your] democratic job on radio trying to sensitize the people on the what you feel is the best way forward.  Do you think man can solve mankind’s problems?

TWITWI:  Surely man can. Na man bring the problem so na man go solve am. A lot of things wey people dey always look at from a spiritual angle, if you look am well it only takes physical solutions.We no fit detach spirituality from physicality because they both work together. Most of the things for Nigeria here need physical solution.  No be everything we go de go on our knees.

BOSS: Do you say these same things on radio?

OPJ & TWITWI:  There is nothing we don’t say on radio.

OPJ:  Everybody dem dey pray, yet Nigeria no dey better.  Even go back to the Madala bombing of Redeemed church abi one church. No be prayer dem dey pray there when dem throw bomb and everywhere explode? Prayer dey work na im bomb explode?  E no turn to water? E get some shrine way you go throw bomb and e no go work, according to our African religious setting.  How come bomb explode inside a place they call the house of God?

TWITWI:  Make Nigerians stop their holier-than-thou attitude, for things to go well.  No be every time offering time and all that.

BOSS: So far so good, I see you guys are really enjoying your job.  I will really want to know for how long you have been a broadcaster?

 OPJ: I metamorphosed from a DJ to a broadcaster. I started in 1976. What qualified you then as a DJ was your ability to speak on the microphone, so then every DJ must have some microphone qualities as we deejayed and spinned (talked) at the same time. Deejaying has been my first love and after several years as a DJ, I applied for broadcasting with Radio Nigeria 1 as my first radio station in the day of medium and short wave band. I was on Radio Nigeria 1 for 10 years (1992 – 2001).

I was basically presenting musical programmes. I was presenting the Saturday Big Beats on Radio Nigeria. I presented Calypso and Soca Music too.  For those 10 years, I held these two programmes. Maybe it was because of my style of presentation, but my executive director then on Radio Nigeria was quick to realize that I was an FM Radio material, so I was deployed internally to Metro FM, the sister station to Radio Nigeria.  I experienced Radio Broadcasting in Metro FM for 6 years, making it 16 years of broadcasting.  It was after these 16 years that I voluntarily crossed-carpeted to Wazobia FM in September 2008.

BOSS: Within these four and a half years you have spent at Wazobia FM, how many programmes have you presented?

OPJ: I have been on the evening belt; we don’t shift belts since you own your belt.  Like Yaw owns the morning belt while I have run the evening belt since our assumption of duties. Inside ‘Evening Oyoyo’, there are other programme segments. We have the ‘Go Slow Yan’ segment which starts the programme. We also have ‘Talk Your Mind’, a programme where we open the lines for people to call in and express whatever they have in mind. But then we must have dropped a topic on ground, mainly political issues, giving people the freedom to speak their mind.

Note that it is not only political issues as topics may change based on matters arising. We also have a segment for upcoming artists which we call ‘Ogbonge New Gbedu’. It is a chat programme that parades the best 9 songs of up-and-coming artists. It is a daily programme that starts by 9pm and it is strictly for up-and-coming artistes that do not have the resources to promote their songs on radio, so we show them love and encourage them through this programme.

 TWITWI:  Me na Wazobia I from start broadcasting o!

BOSS: So you jest from street enter radio?

TWITWI:  I just from street enter radio and na this year November go make me 3 years in broadcasting, but outside that I’m a trained computer engineer.

OWITWI:  I started here August last year, but basically I’m a broadcaster by profession. My first degree was in Mass Communication and I specialized in broadcasting.  My postgraduate degree was in Journalism. I eat and drink, I eat and sleep in broadcasting.  I worked with NTA Benin for about a year. I was a reporter/journalist and my programme then was ‘Campus Life’.

BOSS: This question is for you OPJ. How come you don’t play Nigerian songs in your private setting as I have noticed and observed you severally?

OPJ: The truth of the matter is that I don’t like the kind of music they are playing here in Nigeria. In my days as a DJ I remember we never had so much of Nigerian music in the discotheque and all that. So those of us that come from that era as DJs were mainly influenced by foreign music. I still have a lot of foreign musical influence in my vein. The Makossa they play today in this part of the world, the Afro Hip and Afro is what I’m yet to understand. I’m yet to understand them and as a matter of fact, I’m not a fan of Nigerian music. It doesn’t mean they are not doing well o! By Nigerian music standard they are actually playing great music and I must commend them for that.

BOSS: Is it really true that an artiste will need to grease your palm if he or she wants his or her song to enjoy massive air play?

OPJ: Honestly, there is nowhere in the world where it is stipulated that an artiste should pay for promo. As far as I know, the radios and TV houses are supposed to pay royalties to artistes for playing their songs. In a situation where artistes give money to presenters, to me it is done everywhere in the world.  They call it Payola in America. That is why people like Puff Daddy (PDD) at times bought cars for presenters, not that the presenters asked them to buy them cars. They call it appreciation, like KCEE (the Limpopo King) for instance. I’m the main man behind KCEE in his solo effort.  KCEE never gave anybody money here when he started coming, but now if he buys me a jeep it will be in appreciation. Not that I asked him to buy me a jeep o! So if an artiste comes to me and says, ‘OPJ, take this fifty thousand naira, I no tell am to bring money o! Me I go take; it is  appreciation.

BOSS: What will you give up broadcasting for?

OPJ: I cannot give up broadcasting for anything! It is for life.

TWIWI: [Laughs]

BOSS: Twitwi, if you are asked to work with the presidency, won’t you leave this job?

TWIWI: That na broadcasting na! Everybody needs broadcasting in their life. Whether you are directly employed as a broadcaster or not, one way or another you are broadcasting.

OPJ: Broadcasters are born not made, mind you.

TWIWI:     In fact, almost everybody now in Nigeria is a broadcaster, broadcasting on their BBM!

BOSS: Owitwi, if you get married tomorrow and your husband makes so much money and says you should please stop broadcasting and venture into something else, what will you do?

OWITWI:  My husband can’t even say that. If I’m not a presenter today, I’ll be a public relations practitioner tomorrow. I’ll definitely remain in the field. I can’t leave this field. It’s not possible. I can’t.

Celebrating Smiles

Zoe Thompson Tatua, BOSS MAGAZINE Columnist

A celebration is ‘the action of marking one’s pleasure at an important event or occasion by engaging in enjoyable, typically social activity’, or ‘an occasion with appropriate ceremony or festivity’. As such, celebrations are an inevitable and incredibly important part of life. The life events of our family, friends and colleagues regularly appear on our calendars, demanding our attention.

Invariably, photographs will be taken of all the smiling guests to permanently mark the memory-making occasion. Are you happy with your smile? Do you avoid those photographs?  Are you proud of how your smile will be remembered in years to come?

As I have said before, summer, autumn, winter, spring, whatever the season, it is always fashionable to have healthy, white teeth. There is no doubt about it, people associate white teeth with good health.

If you have a great smile you feel confident. Consider a typical day – there’s not much we do where our teeth are not on show when we talk, eat or smile.

Teeth can become discoloured for a number of reasons. Caffeine, soft drinks, red wine, tea, tobacco, ageing and certain medications can cause tooth discolouration.

Furthermore, a person’s natural tooth colour can vary from white to yellow to grey with every shade in between.

Regular professional dental cleans are essential as teeth can discolour from plaque and tartar build-up, so my advice is to start with this, as it may be all you need to improve the colour of your teeth to your satisfaction. In addition, for stubborn yellow teeth ask about a professional whitening system with personalised advice. Your dentist will create a customised tray that fits comfortably over your teeth and allows you to whiten the teeth at home with a 45-minute-a-day application for three to five days, depending on your base tooth colour. You can literally whiten your teeth  while cooking dinner, answering emails or reading a book!

In recent times, we have seen the popularity of whitening increase dramatically with both men and women, from ages 18 to 88.

Don’t go through another year avoiding those inevitable celebration photos. Chat to your dentist about options for giving you a smile to celebrate!

Chief E.K. Clark: The Leader He was, He is

Chief E.K Clark

By: Ibifuro Tatua

BOSS: Sir, let us start with your thoughts on the attitude of politicians of the past as compared to the attitude of today’s politicians.

 E.K Cl

Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark Officer of  The Order Of Federal Republic (OFR) and Commander Of The Order of Niger (CON). is a prominent player in Nigerian politics. Clark has no parallel in the South-South region; he is simply referred to as THE LEADER.

Edwin Clark is Chairman of the Delta State Elders’ Forum and has campaigned for Ijaw rights in the ethnically volatile Niger Delta. He is respected even at federal level. His residences, either in Lagos, Kiagbodo or Abuja are Mecca of sought for politicians, contractors, militants, jurists, Diplomats, Civil servants, and All.  At 86, Chief Clark still has terrific memories, infact, photographic memories as his ability to recall names, words, events, people, numbers and dates with extreme precision baffles  many as he can recall details of 30 and beyond years ago. What set Clark apart cannot be explained but obviously, he has a good pedigree, his brothers distinguished themselves, Prof. J. P. Clark is respected in literary world, Ambassador B. A. Clark rose to the pinnacle of his career as the Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Foreign Affairs and was Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, his other brother retired as a General in the Nigerian Army.

Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark has great credentials.

 As a young man, he worked hard as a headmaster and community development officer contributing to the development of education and the mobilization of the people for community development. He has held various local, regional and national positions,   he is senior colleague at the bar; an alumnus at the Holbom College of Law, London, who was later, called to the Bar in England as a member of the Honorable Society of the Inner Temple and as solicitor and advocate of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.   Born on 25 May1932 in Kiagbodo, Bendel State

Education: African Church School, Effurun, 1939; Native Authority School, Okrika, 1940; Native Authority School, Akugbene, 1940-45; Holborn College of Law, United Kingdom, 1961-64

Career: Headmaster, Local Authority School, Ofoni, Western Ijaw; Headmaster, Local Authority School, Bomadi, 1954; Headmaster, Secondary Modern School, Bomadi, 1955-57; Assistant Community Development Officer, 1957-61; Director, Asaba Textile Mill 1967; Commissioner for Education, Mid-Western State, 1968-71; Commissioner for Finance and Establishment, Bendel State, 1972-75; Minister for Information, 1975; Chairman of Council and Pro-Chancellor, University of Benin, 1970-75; Director, Bendel Brewery, 1972-74; Chairman, Bendel Line, 1973-74; joined the National Party of Nigeria (NPN), 1979; Pro-Chancellor, University of Technology, Minna, 1983; Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1979-83; Leader, Delta State Elders’ Forum.

  Clark is not afraid to say what he wants to say.  In this interview with Ibifuro Tatua and Henry Ebireri, Clark speaks about his family, Politics, the achievements of President Goodluck Jonathan and the need for a united Nigeria.

From L-R: Henry Ebireri, Chief E.K Clark and Publisher of Boss Africa Magazine Ibifuro Tatua

Cark: Well, they are all different. The politicians of the First Republic were different from Second Republic ones, who were themselves different from the politicians of today. We saw that the politicians of the First Republic were more nationalistic; in other words, they were more patriotic and dedicated to Nigeria. Compared to what we have today, the lowest they could go was to fight for their own state and region. But today, a politician fights more for his own family and how to benefit his family even before he can talk about the state where he comes from. Nigeria comes last. That was not the politics of yesterday.

BOSS:What might be responsible for this?

E.K CLARK: Over ambition, corruption. People want to be wealthy; they want to drive so many cars at the same time and they want to sleep on so many beds at the same time, which is not possible. Why should they want to live a life greater or higher than what they should belong to? So you find exactly that there is indiscipline, because quite a number of people did not pass through the family system. Their duty is to grab, grab, grab. I think that is what it is turning into today; there is less devotion – no nationalism and patriotism is not there.

BOSS: Sir, what does this portend for the Nigerian state?

 E.K CLARK: It is sad; that is what we are saying today. People talk about corruption and this corruption has been growing over the years. Today, we now find corruption in the judiciary, corruption in the legislature and the executive. There is nowhere to go. I think that is the problem and it means that there is need for immediate eradication of corruption. Corruption is the greatest evil in the society today.

BOSS: Looking back at your days in government, how would you assess your experience then?

 E.K CLARK: Well, I do not know what you mean by that. Anyone who is 18 years old is qualified to vote and be voted for. At the age of 25, you could be a member of the Assembly, that is, the legislature. So it is not the age or the experience that matters a great deal; what matters is your upbringing, then the society. These are the two things. If you belong to a sober society, a society where less value is placed on money, a society where merit is the order of the day, then the people would be attuned to that. Everybody growing up would grow up to that. But today, we see young men praying every day in their houses; every morning they organize prayer sessions whereas they do a different thing completely. It is all camouflage, so that they can give people the impression that they can never be corrupt.

BOSS:But, sir, can you recall your time in government and compare it to today’s system?

 E.K CLARK: They are not comparable; you cannot compare them. I was commissioner for education in General Ogbemudia’s government from 1968-1971. You could commend my area for what I did, because there was only one grammar school in the whole of Western Ijaw, which was a Catholic grammar school. However, when I took over, I found out that my people did not have much education. It was a big disadvantage, so I went ahead to the governor and told him, “If you want me to do this job, these are some of the things I want to do for the people.” And he said, “Go ahead.”

 By the time I left the ministry of education we already had nine more grammar schools in the area. Primary education was free in order to bring the girls up. Then the only grammar school that was there before we changed it to a government college and everybody in that school was on scholarship. So this was directed at a people who were backward. Then, at the state level, we were able to establish the University of Benin; we were able to establish a headmasters’ institute and we were able to establish more grammar schools in other places. And we had the scholarship scheme. Then I moved to the ministry of finance. I was there when they reformed the tax system. Then I went to the Federal Ministry of Information; the story is there. I was the pro-chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Minna (the founding pro-chancellor), an awarding pro-chancellor in the University of Benin and chairman of the governing council for about five years. There is nothing I can compare in my time with today.

BOSS: So your own time was service-oriented while the current day...?

 E.K CLARK: My own period was service-oriented; what these other people are looking for, I do not know.

BOSS: Sir, maybe we need to go back and look at all these many years as commissioner -- from education down to finance and even to information. Do you have any regrets at all?

 E.K CLARK: I have no regrets because I was happy that I was serving my people and the question whether I did well or not is not for me. But, personally, I know I was serving and hearing what people were saying. It means that they were somehow satisfied with what I was doing.

BOSS: Sir, in the thick of the Niger Delta crises, we thought that very few people would want to stick out their neck as the leader of a particular area, but you were up as the key leader of the Ijaw nation. Looking back, do you feel satisfied as the leader of the Ijaw nation that you have been able to help reposition Ijaw people and the ijaw nation within the Nigerian landscape?

 E.K CLARK: In everything you do, there is always a limit; no man can satisfy everybody. I do contribute my quota where my leadership is required to. Today I sit down here very much satisfied that a minority man has become the president of Nigeria, which is a thing that was forbidden in the past. This is an achievement the south-south people, the Niger Delta people cannot forget. That is why sometimes when you make statements, people feel that we have appeared and that we are overreacting. All that we are doing is saying, “Please, you have been there for years and we have followed you. Why not allow us to have what GOD has given to us?”

That is what we are seeing from time to time, so as far as I am concerned, the Ijaw man today is far better from what the Ijaw man was perhaps five years ago. Even though Mr. President may not be able to touch the heart of every Ijaw man, the mere fact that you have the president of Nigeria from your area makes you feel some sense of belonging and satisfaction and you can now be reckoned with.

You do not have to get anything from Mr. President, because the influence of being part of a government alone that you would win from time to time is enough satisfaction. Politically, we are going to move forward. If we have to be with the man who is the president, we must also move our politics up. So, today, we have our people as the head of affairs of the party everywhere. You cannot compare the Ijaw man of five years ago to the Ijaw man of today; you cannot compare the Niger Delta and the south-south man of five years ago to the south-south man of today.

BOSS: Sir, maybe we need to take the thing beyond the Ijaw nation and focus on the Niger Delta region completely in terms of the agitation of many years ago. Some say infrastructure, some are concerned about oil revenue; some are concerned about participation in politics. In the area of politics, how would you assess the level of development in the Niger Delta?

E.K CLARK: Well, that is the problem. The area has been one of the most undeveloped, neglected areas. Oil was first found in Oloibiri; today you see Oloibiri and you cannot even recognize it. Today, you go to that area and you would be sad. Amnesty was granted to our boys who were fighting for their own freedom, who were fighting for this neglect we were talking about. There were two aspects to the amnesty. Kingsley Kuku, the special adviser on Niger Delta has asked, “What next after amnesty?” Have we got enough development after amnesty? The answer is NO, because the president is focusing his attention on the whole nation.

We have not got much area and I remember there were three things mentioned when the amnesty came into play. Some of us took part in the negotiations. There was a bill for a coastal railroad from Calabar to Warri, Benin and Lagos via Ibadan. There was to be a coastal road, which many of us felt would not be necessary if the East-West Road is completed. But you now find that the East-West road is moving very slowly. We are worried that the most important economic road in Nigeria now being developed is not yet completed, but we do hope that by 2014 that road would have been completed. We also discovered that apart from the Niger Delta ministry, the Niger Delta Commission (NDDC) has not been able to tackle the problems of the Niger Delta. So, in these areas therefore, we are still very much behind but we do hope before the end of 2015, when Mr. President may be doing his second term, more attention would be paid to the Niger Delta by way of physical development.

BOSS: Sir, many young people from the Ijaw nation are currently in government and many of them believe that whatever they are doing in government, your support has always helped them to record big achievements. One of them is Oronto Douglas. Kingsley Kuku is also there and there are some other Ijaw people who also believe in you. Are you satisfied with their performance in government?

 E.K CLARK: Well, it is not my duty to write the testimonial of any individual. But put together, they are doing very well -- I think Kingsley Kuku in particular. Well, I said hello to Mr. Douglas last night; he is one of the advisors to Mr. President on documentation. Kingsley Kuku has been responsible for the training of our boys and girls and I know that all of them, knowing where they come from, would be able to perform before the end of the government.

BOSS: Well, this is 2013 and in the next two years, we should be talking about 2015. What is your position on President Goodluck Jonathan?

 E.K CLARK: What do you mean by that?

BOSS: What I mean by that?

 E.K CLARK: Yes.

BOSS: 2015 is near the corner and the people in the north are saying power should shift there. However, many southerners believe this is President Jonathan’s first term and he must run for a second term.

 E.K CLARK: I think you would get that if you are involved in day-today politics. If there is anybody talking about President Goodluck Jonathan for 2015 in today’s papers, it is me; I started it. I made it clear that the 1999 Constitution provides for two terms for the president. You must contest for two elections after every four years and Jonathan has contested only one election. He has one more election to go; therefore, he is qualified to contest. In 1979, Shagari contested election and in 1983, he also contested another election, but it was Buhari and his co-soldiers who removed him from power. If he had not been removed from power, he would have remained there for another four years making eight years. Obasanjo remained in power for eight years; he contested for power two times -- 1999 and 2003 -- and he ended up in 2007. There is no new constitution that has been written since that time; it is the same 1999 Constitution, so Jonathan is therefore qualified to contest another election in 2015 and then someone else would come in 2019.

BOSS: Beyond constitutional requirements, why should Nigerians vote for Jonathan in 2015 election?

 E.K CLARK: Jonathan has performed more than any other president elected in this country. It is the conspiracy of our detractors. Those who feel it is their right, the right of the majority to govern this country forever. Jonathan’s time is the first time that we have been included. The trains and the railways in Nigeria stopped running 15 years ago, but we have trains running from Edo, Lagos to Kano -- all done by Jonathan.

When Jonathan took over, the power situation in this country was almost at a standstill. I remember that in 1999 Obasanjo appointed the late Bola Ige as minister of power. Bola Ige said that within 6 months they would be able change the case of Nigeria but he did not know at that time there were many huge cases. But in Jonathan’s time he has been able to identify the problems: distribution, transmission and generation. These are problems that are being sorted out and he is tackling them one by one. Today what no government had the courage to do; he has done, that is, privatizing power. So it is only transmission we are now dealing with, and before the end of this year we are confident that they would be able to provide 10 thousand megawatts in this country. For eight years Obasanjo was in office and Shagari got us nowhere, but today Jonathan has awarded contracts. Today I was able to drive from Benin to Ore within an hour and a half because the road is very good. That has always been a bad road, right? In this country, within a short time educationally, youths who had never gone to school in their life and who had no food to eat are being taken out  by Jonathan’s government. About 5 billion naira has been paid to schools, starting with Sokoto. In Jonathan’s time 12 new federal universities have been established, with nine of them in the north and only three of them in the south. That is the handiwork of Jonathan. He has done only two years and he is still going and by the end of 2015 he would have achieved more. Very soon, the railway would be running from Port Harcourt to Makurdi and to Maiduguri. Elections are now properly held in this country. In 2011, when Jonathan said, “I do not want anybody to die because you are voting for me”, for the first time a party in power lost three states because of proper organization of elections. Today Edo, Ondo and Anambra states had their elections. Peter won in Anambra (not PDP), Oshiomhole won in Edo (not PDP) and Mimiko won in Ondo (not PDP). Therefore, to allow people to cast their vote according to their conscience is one of the greatest achievements of this government. If you want more, I will continue telling you.

BOSS: Speculations are rife that some people are conspiring against the president on the second-term election. As somebody that is close to Mr. President, what are you doing in that area?

 E.K CLARK: At 86, I do not have to go to Jonathan to tell him, “This is what we are doing”. We are already educating and telling Nigerians that this is Jonathan’s time.  Jonathan has one more term; that Jonathan has taken two oats does not supersede the constitutional provision that he has two elections to contest.

BOSS: Sir, what about bridge-building with other ethnic groups?

 E.K CLARK: We are having meetings with various people; you must have heard that we went to Mr. President with leaders of the middle belt last week. We are also having meetings with the south-west, south-east and the south-south people where we come from. We are building bridges, so no one can impose anybody on anybody. The Ijaws alone cannot make a president and the south-south alone cannot make a president. You need the cooperation of other people and you cannot force them to do it, so you need to educate them; you have to lobby.

BOSS: You are very confident that Jonathan will win the 2015 presidential election?

 E.K CLARK: If winning an election is to depend upon performance, he is already there.

BOSS:Ok, sir. Maybe we would need to take you from Abuja to Delta State, because there have been so many issues. Sometimes it is power shift; sometimes it is the Ijaw leader rejecting a minister who wants to run for 20...

 E.K CLARK: I do not go into those things because they are too minor for me. What I said is that Mr. President does not want to talk about 2015 now. And he gave instructions to all his ministers and appointees that nobody should go to his state to cause political trouble until he declares and that anybody who does so will be doing it at his own risk. What am I going to get from a minister? I should be able to speak the truth, to tell people that the time has not come but when the time comes elections would be held. Whoever wants to declare would declare so. I do not want to make any statements.

BOSS: Nigerians can see what Jonathan is doing. What is your advice for them?

 E.K CLARK: Well, my advice to Nigerians is to be patient. Nigerians should be tolerant and we should also have feelings for others. This country belongs to all of us and we have no other country to go to. You can only talk about one country, a united Nigeria in which everybody is qualified, competent, educated, transparent and is allowed to attain the highest office in this country by his own merit and not because you are minority or majority or whatsoever reason. Every Nigerian has equal right to contest for any position that he wants to contest for and there should be no restrictions. Restrictions should be on the basis of non-qualification owing to criminality or other things.

BOSS: Did you struggle at any point or you just had everything handed to you?

 E.K CLARK: I did not lobby for anything and I was appointed based on merit as a commissioner of education and finance. But I contested an election to become a senator.

BOSS: On a lighter note, we just want to congratulate you on your recent marriage.

 E.K CLARK: You can see that sign on me. I feel very, very happy. Well, thank you very much.

BOSS: Thank you very much, sir.