#TheYNaijaInterview: My stint at Rhythm FM was a baptism of fire – Broadcaster, Wana Udobang

by Wilfred Okiche

wana

We spoke with Wana Udobang; broadcaster, blogger, writer, culture curator and all round media personality. She came across as fun, witty and splendidly cerebral. Enjoy excerpts from our conversation.

Are you a feminist?

Yes I am, I don’t know that there is an explanation for being one I believe that women should be empowered, I belieive in equality of opportunity. That is the world that I want to be in and the one where I want my children to be raised in where they do not feel that things are a bit more difficult because they are women or girls.

Chimamanda Ngozi-Adichie reportedly asked a journalist to refrain from addressing her with the title Mrs. Is that feminism for you?

That is just her personal preference on how she would want to be addressed, I don’t think that it has anything to do with being a feminist.

If you got married today, would you want to be addressed as a Mrs, seeing as you are already popular with your maiden names?

I don’t think I have any issues either way, I have never really cared too much about how people address me but I would rather just be called Wana Udobang because that is what I am known as already. I don’t think that it matters to me much though but we are in Nigeria and a lot of people attach a lot of importance to being married and being called Mrs Somebody. I think you are a person and individual first and foremost and so everyone should be accorded that respect.

Tell us a bit about your journey into Nigerian radio, I know you have had some experience in London but what was it like getting work in Nigeria?

I moved back to Nigeria in January 2009 and prior to that  there were adverts for vacancies in Inspiration FM. They asked me to be sure I was coming back to stay and I applied like everyone else. We auditioned and I got the job. Simple as that.

There is this fear about you guys returning from abroad to claim all the top jobs because of an assumption that you are better trained. Was this a factor for you?

Employers are trying to run a business and they want what they believe will be the most capable hands. Yes I agree there was a time when it was an advantage to be London or US trained but now not so much. So many people have come back and have ended up unemployed like other people. There is a huge unemployment gap now and the issue is now about being innovative enough to create opportunities for yourself and developing your skill. I have so many friends that have had to go back overseas after waiting around for years. Also employers have started to realise the importance of value. Some people have studied abroad and because the environment is a little different, so even if they have all the degrees and certificates and even the work experience, they do not have the experience of working in this kind of climate and so reproducibility becomes a problem, so some employers I know now prefer to pick people who have worked in Nigeria before or after schooling abroad because then, they have a bit of both worlds.

How was the transition for you?

It wasn’t difficult for me because I was always a very street smart kind of person. I went to secondary school in Nigeria, Command Secondary School Ibadan, so me I am an ‘Ibile’ kind of person. I spent 9 years abroad and frankly, I don’t know because I don’t really think about it too much. Maybe it is just my nature to adapt easily and I learnt early enough to manage my expectations and just throw myself into the experience. I started work with the mindset of learning as opposed to imposing my ideas on everybody.

What was your first time on the radio like?

In 2007 after I graduated I came to Nigeria for a month and worked at Rhythm so that was my baptism of fire. By the time I started work at Inspiration FM, I already had an idea about what radio in Nigeria was all about. That thought me about the audience here and what they are used to. Then I was doing a completely different show but learning has been a fun process. I started with the morning show but moved to the evening show and they are only similar in the sense that they are both on the radio.

Let us talk about Sharing Life Issues which you anchor now. You replaced a very popular Chaz B who moved on after a stint. What was it like stepping in?

It has been a great ride so far. Of course the immediate challenge was getting people to get used to me especially after they had been getting on famously with Chaz B. Trying to downplay the instant comparisons that arose was a big deal but I like that we have gotten past that now and I hope that I have been able to attract listeners on account of me. But more importantly is that I want to be able to find sustainable solutions for people so it is not like we are just talking for the sake of it. I try to find solutions or help centres for people so they do not suffer in silence.

On air personalities have come to matter a lot these days, diversifying into other ventures and interests. You are one of the most popular but you tend to stand out as having a bit more substance to you. Is this deliberate or are you just being you?

The truth is I think that role models are overated, I mean I’ll rather just live my life and not bear the responsibility of having anyone look up to me. Having said that, it is important for people to look up to certain people and I think it is important that diversity exists so that for every road you choose to take, there is someone who has been there who you can take directions or tips from. If I am being pushed into creating a niche where there is substance as you have put it, then it is fine by me. But I think that people just like different things and diversity is important.

What kind of audience do you think you attract?

I meet all sorts of people, I used to think I was attracting an older audience because they were the ones that would approach me to say that they loved my show, age bracket was 25-35. And I get a lot of “my mum or dad loves your show” and then in the past couple of months I have met kids who go “auntie Wana we love your show”. The other day I was moderating a literary event and this boy about 12years of age approached me with his own poems and we talked about them and his mom was just waiting patiently for us to finish. It was so cool so I think that different kinds of people connect with me.

If you weren’t doing you now, what would you have been doing?

You know everybody asks me that question and I always say that I have no idea because I am a media person, the arts and culture are my thing and I would probably still be doing them. The only other thing I know I like is interior designing so maybe in an alternate universe, I’d have gone back to school to study that but probably bring it home to the media by doing sets and production design.

On air personality, blogger, writer, lover of the arts, you must have very good time management skills…

Yes I do, I am a very precise manager of my time. I wake up at 5, do a bit of exercise, shower, meditate and by 9am I am out of the house maybe to a friend’s office where I work from. I do this till 1-2pm when I have to leave for work ahead of traffic. Weekends are for family and friends because they are very important to me.

Who are your favourite writers?

My favourite book ever is ‘Disgrace’ by a South African writer JM Coetzee. I love Chimamanda, Lola Shoneyin, Chika Unigwe and Teju Cole.

So many contemporary authors, where do the masters Achebe and Soyinka fit in for you?

They are the masters and are obvious influences, anybody would mention them. I am very contemporary in my tastes though and I think there is room for diversity.

Are you planning on publishing something soon?

I will publish a novel eventually but I think I’ll start with a collection of short stories because I enjoy writing them but I am not in a hurry to achieve the status of published author. So for now most of my work will be available online.

Any fears?

Lots of them. I hate monkeys. I also fear not being able to live my life to the fullest and pursue all of my dreams because I have lots of them.

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