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SUNDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2014
Presenting ‘Ultimate Morning Show’ is a privilege -Olaitan Bakare Olaitan Bakare, aka O.L.A., has carved quite an identity for herself presenting the Ultimate Morning Show on Ray Power FM. Her voice, every morning (week days), alongside radio big wig, Ambrose Somide, comes as a big complement, helping to spice up the show, widely regarded as Nigeria's most listened to morning show. In this encounter with Daniel Adeleye, the sassy presenter spoke of her exploits so far, her inspirations and more.
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HAT is it like presenting The Ultimate Morning Show alongside veterans like Ambrose
Somide? It is pretty fun. Ambrose Somide is a fantastic human being. Let me start that way. I think that made it easy; especially for the fact that he can blend off microphone. You can talk with him and understand each other. Of course we can also disagree on something. That way, there is mutual respect, even though I am much younger. He respects my opinion, and that makes me feel special. So I don't feel like am second on the show; I feel like yes, we are doing this together. And for me, it's been very good. It also comes with a lot of hype; with people tweeting everyday and commending our efforts. I also see it as a privilege and an opportunity, which I treasure tremendously. Who are your other inspirations in the industry? First, let me start with Oprah. Internationally, O p r a h inspired m e i n many
ways. I started following her when I was young. I followed her story and I discovered that we had similar background story. I was abused as a child, and Oprah had a baby when she was about 13 or 14. I was even much younger when I was raped. So I took all of that, learned from the way she explained how she got over it and used it as strength. So I converted those negativities into strength, to become the person that I am. For me, she is like the greatest inspiration. Also the fact that she experienced rape from a family member; although I was raped by someone I was familiar with, who used to come to our house quite often. It actually happened when I was very young, and for a long time afterwards, I was confused. But something later grew inside of me that I never knew it existed. I became more vocal, and I could suddenly speak for myself. Prior to that time, one of the issues I had was that I couldn't express myself. So Oprah impacted me both personally and professionally. Coming home, I learned from a lot of other people. But overall, it is Ambrose Somide. You've also got some recognitions and award nominations. Yes, I was nominated for the Outstanding Radio Presenter of the Year at the Nigeria Broadcasting Media Awards (NBMA). I was also nominated for Presenter, Morning Show of the Year, this year, and although I did not win, it is something I appreciate a lot. I also have quite a number of other nominations. And I have won awards as well. One of them that I really treasure is the Young Female Presenter of the Year award, presented to me at the Egba Youths Award, when I used to present in Abeokuta. Coming from young people like me made it really precious to me. A few days ago, I also won Special Package for HIV and AIDS that's done by an organisation called Enhancing Nigeria's Response to AIDS, ENR, alongside The BBC. We won that as a result of quite a number of projects they did for HIV and AIDS, which we helped create awareness for. We created awareness on HIV, some of the issues and health-like media competitions and we came first. I presented that programme which won the Nigerian Media Merit Award (NMMA) for Radio Production of the Year. That prize went to the producer of the programme, although I presented it. It's important to correct that; I haven't won yet. Let's talk about your antecedent. Where were you before Ray Power FM? I started very young. I started as a trainee/intern at MiTV back in early 2000. I worked with Funmi Davis, now Funmi Farojoye, Kemi Ikotun-Adekusibe and Moyo Oyatogun. I also worked at Star FM, still the same organisation. That was when I discovered the radio thing in me. I love radio but I got quickly bored wit h
TV. I did a little presentation and a little reportorial on TV. That was when I met with Femi Fashina (Uncle Fash) and the likes of Moyo Oyatogun, Seun Oyedeji, now Seun Davis, Kwame etc. In fact, I worked directly with Kwame. He started my curiosity in morning radio. Thereafter, I did a little thing with DBN. But as I said, TV gets me bored quickly. After that, I took a seven-year break before coming back. I kicked off my second coming at Rock City FM, Abeokuta. I was there for three years. Before I met Ambrose Somide, I worked with Beat FM for three years as acting head of programme, but then there were a number of things that didn't go down well with me. So, I decided to seek bigger challenges. I used to present a morning show at Beat FM before I resigned. So, one day, Ambrose Somide called me and said that he had not heard me for a while on radio, and was I on leave? I told him I had resigned, and he said not to worry and that he would get me fixed. That was how I journeyed into Ray Power in 2012. If not radio, what would you have been doing? I probably would still be an entertainment person. I like entertainment a lot, although I still have my eyes on some other things other than broadcasting. I have my eyes on PR for instance, and entertainment lawyer. I think I love those two. What's your next big plan? Well, I have been doing the Ultimate Morning Show for about two years now. We started in March 2013, and in these two years I am so proud that Ray Power has won Nigeria Media Merit Award's (NMMA) Radio Station of the Year. I think we are doing something right. And a few of my other programmes have also won awards and accolades. So, it makes me feel that I am doing something right. Hopefully in the coming year, I propose to establish my brand, Olaitan Bakare O.L.A. Right now, only about 20% of that brand is being utilised. I figure there is still a great deal of that brand that can be established and utilised. Also, there are still several other areas of broadcasting that I hope to get into. How do you manage your low moments, especially when you need to go on air and get your listeners lifted? I play my favourite song (laughs). Although it's not the type I can play on radio most, it is usually the song that is popular at that time. I use myself as a point of contact to connect several other people that might be having low moments. What can make them happy is music. Music is healing, music is power, music is divine; music is everything! So music is just there for me, any day, any moment. When I am tired, sad, broke, depressed; even when I am happy, music is everything. What's your most memorable experience yet presenting? For now, it is presenting the Ultimate Morning Show and getting the feedbacks. Ultimate Morning Show is the largest morning show on the Nigerian radio. We have audience from every part of the country. You know how vast Nigeria is, so for you to draw audience from across its various parts, carrying them along and getting the kind of good feedback we get, makes it really pleasant and memorable. I received an email from one of the audience, who told me what the Ultimate Morning Show does in her life everyday and I broke into tears. I think that moment is my memorable experience yet.
Washington Post photographer dies on assignment in Liberia
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photographer covering the Ebola story in Liberia for the Washington Post, Michel du Cille, collapsed and died of an apparent heart attack. The winner of three Pulitzer prizes, he was 58. The Post's executive editor Martin Baron sent a statement to the newspaper staff in which he called Du Cille “a beloved colleague and one of the world's most accomplished photographers”. He spent several years as the Post's director of photography and as an assistant managing editor. Born in 1956 in Kingston, Jamaica, Du Cille moved to the US, to Georgia, in the 1970s. His wife, Nikki Kahn, is also a Post photographer.
Project Fame's Isaac Geralds releases first video
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OR Project Fame Season 4 housemate, Isaac Geralds, it is indeed a season of great achievements, as he recently released his first single music video, 'Fall in Love'. The dandy-looking bearded gentle man who once confessed that the mega-publicity Project Fame availed him was his biggest take-away from participating in the show, plays the desperate love-struck village youth, who would do anything to win the love of his heartthrob in the video. It is a hilarious video that had him being chased in one of the scenes by a grenade. Shot in a village in Ogun State by Yinka Davids of iFocus, the song is a folk soul that is rendered majorly in Yoruba and pidgin and features rich Yoruba heritage on display. The video also features fast rising singer Stan Iyke, with cameo appearances by Immaculate, also an alumna of Project Fame, gospel artiste, Gaise and Henri Soul. The video is available for viewing on Isaac Geralds Youtube page.