Thursday 10 November 2016

Diary of A Hustling OAP (Season 1 – Episode 4)


I was laughing real hard now and might I say; without apologies. Kirk was really cracking me up. He’s quite a cool guy and real fun to be around. I just met Kirk Anthony and he already makes me feel at home. (NB: All these were happening around the early part of 2011. Kirk Anthony used to be the Head of Programmes at Smooth fm until he died in 2013. May his soul continue to rest in peace) He had taken me on a
tour round the office. He showed me the different departments and introduced me to some of the staff, each time reiterating the fact that I used to work with Cool fm PH. When we got to the live studio, I was wowed. I didn’t want to leave. Their studio seemed so much more high-tech-and-all and I do love me some really sophisticated studio. Gosh! I just wanted to make there my home and start working immediately. Anyways, now we were in the boardroom and getting to know more about each other. I explained to him, why I had made the move to Lagos and how I would love to work with Smooth fm. He asked me if I liked the place and I responded hell yeah!!! Well, what else was I to say? I was in need of a job and the fact that Smooth deals only a particular genre of music that could maybe bore a young blood like me, wasn’t a factor I could afford to consider. The fact that I fell deeply in love with their live studio, helped me wave the other factor aside too.
And now, finally the topic of ‘When do I start working?’ and that’s when he explained how I could be gainfully employed by Smooth but that should be after I undergo a one-year-training where I would not be paid but that my transport would be taken care of…say what now???? I don’t have time for that. I’m in Lagos a foreign land, away from my comfort zone and I don’t have the time to play around. I need to start earning a living like yesterday. What the heck!!!
All the same, I politely, told him I would think about it and get back to him and I took my leave.
Gosh!!! I really thought Kirk and I were hitting it off. I had that good feeling, you know. I even felt he was excited with the thought of me coming on board the Smooth ship.
Today is Monday. My first Monday as a Lagosian. Yesterday was my first Sunday as a Lagosian. I had attended Sunday service with thanksgiving in my heart. Appreciating God’s hand in my relocation to Lagos, I had prayed for doors to open up in my favour in this foreign land, as regards my career as a Broadcaster. I had also caught the word; that He has prepared a table before me, even in the presence of my enemies…meaning the enemy has nothing to say or do as regards my blessings from God. I felt that word feeding my soul and re-boosting my confidence, considering the overwhelming feeling I get every now and then since this sojourn of mine. With that re-boosted confidence, I had marched into Rhythm fm this morning, before I found my way to Smooth, marching through too and now this? I made my way home, my head going bonkers. I had some real decision to make.
My visit to Rhythm hasn’t been all that fantastic too, but I gotta keep the faith. God’s word never lies. I had gone there looking for the head of programmes but instead met Arthur. We chatted a while and it so happened that he knew Spaceman (one of my colleagues at Cool PH). He was heading to the cafeteria so I went with him, hoping to wait for Onome Oyaide. At the cafeteria, Arthur introduced me to a couple of his colleagues and we were all chatting freely before I could say Jack Bauer. Yea, we presenters are like that…I mean come on…‘talking’ is what we do for a living.
I had left the house pretty early without eating so I used the opportunity to order for food and drink which I actually enjoyed. After my meal, I was going to wait some more but Arthur advised I go and probably take care of whatever else I have to and come back by 4pm or better still return 4pm the next day when I could meet Onome and have him audition me. I agreed with him, we exchanged numbers, I gave him a cd copy of the recording of my live show and I left. And then I got to Smooth fm and the rest of the story for that day, you know.
Well, after taking that blow from Smooth and having my thoughts all over the place, I was in no state of mind to return to Rhythm fm that same day for any audition whatsoever, so I decided it was time to embark on that very long ride to the mainland and all through the trip, I kept thinking and weighing my options.
Diary of A Hustling OAP  will be back on this blog next week, don’t miss it *winks*. Meanwhile, please feel free to drop comments...

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