On Air Personality, Gbemi Olateru-Olagbegi, talks about her job and what she wants in a man in this interview with GBENRO ADEOYE
You have a great voice, by the way. Is it your voice that made you decide to become an On Air Personality?
Thank you. I actually got into radio as a
course requirement in school. I started reading the news at the student
radio station at Oakland University, Rochester, Michigan. When I
returned to Nigeria, I started serving at NTA, Victoria Island. And I
had a part time job at Cool FM as a news editor. I walked into the
studio to drop off the news and I got chatting with Dan Foster. I became
his co-host from that day. After a few minutes of chatting, he told me
to grab a pair of headphones and join him on air. I got my own show soon
after.
So what is it about radio that has kept you there?
It’s a great job. I get to play good
music every weekday, interact with listeners, stars and important
people. Radio has also opened so many doors for me. I’m currently in the
middle of production for my TV show. I also run a media company called
Speakerboxx.
I will come back to your TV show
soon, but there is this joke that people who try to train their voice
avoid eating heavy meals including eba. Is there any truth in this and
how do you manage to keep yours?
LOL. I have never heard anything like that. I really don’t do anything when it comes to my voice.
What would you be doing if you were not an OAP today?
I think I would be involved somehow in
the media, public relations and communication field. That’s what I’m
interested in; I’m fascinated by the media.
What’s your beauty routine?
Beauty routine? I don’t have a specific formula. I do have oily, acne-prone skin, so I visit my dermatologist quite often.
Can you leave home without a make-up?
I leave my home without makeup most weekdays. I only have a full face of makeup when I’ve got an event.
What kind of reaction do you get
from people who fall in love with your voice on air and get to see you
later? Do they claim to already have a picture of what you’d look like
by the sound of your voice?
A lot of people imagine what the owner
of the voice they listen to often would look like. Someone once told me
he expected me to be “Tall and fair”. I had a good laugh. People usually
expect me to be older. They say I sound mature.
Are you in a relationship?
I’m in a relationship with Jesus Christ.
So you’re not in a romantic relationship at the moment? What do you like in a guy?
I didn’t say I’m not in a relationship and I didn’t say I’m in one.
What I look out for in a man -a good
heart, intelligence, street smartness, confidence, ambition, great work
ethic, sense of humor. A love for God and good looks too.
How do you deal with male advances?
I deal with male advances as any responsible woman would. Decline respectfully if I’m not interested.
As an OAP, do you get advances from females as well?
I have not gotten any advances from females. Thank God. I get more of people trying to be my friend.
If you get advances from a female fan, how will you handle it?
If I got advances from a female, I would shut it down immediately.
I’m totally uninterested in such.
What striking memories do you still have of your childhood?
My childhood was normal. Comfortable.
We lived in Surulere and my parents worked hard to make my siblings and I
comfortable. We went to good schools and I would forever thank them for
that. My parents were very protective of us. And they were very strict
too. Striking memories would be all the birthday and Christmas parties
we attended and I remember winning all the dance competitions except
one. I cried myself to sleep that night.
For you to have cried yourself to sleep for losing a dance competition, you must have been good. Who taught you how to dance?
Sadly, I don’t dance as well as I used
to. No one taught me how to dance. I was just this awesome dancer. Now I
dance in my chair.
Why are you going into TV show?
My TV show is called ‘Gbemi’. It’s a
talk show and it’s different from all the others. What makes it
different? You will find out soon.
We are still shooting, editing etc. I’ve
always wanted to go into TV. In fact, I had plans to start with TV.
Radio wasn’t a priority in the beginning. It just so happened that I was
given a fantastic opportunity and I could not pass it up.
What relationship do you have with Dan Foster?
Dan Foster was and still is a great mentor. He taught me a lot about radio.
We still keep in touch till today
Culled from Punch
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