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Mannie currently anchors the Cool Fm breakfast show, a
responsibility he undertook after Dan Foster’s exit from the station. Real
names Emmanuel Essien, the On Air Personality had his first shot at fame in
2004, when alongside Dare Art Alade and Jidâdah, he was chosen to represent
Nigeria at the TV music reality show, Project Fame South Africa. Not resting on
his oars, the dreadlocked spotting presenter honed his musical craft and went
on to produce jingles for a number of companies including MTN, Coca Cola and
Chicken Republic. Mannie tells X2 about the many sides there are to him as well
as the journey so far after 6 years on the job.
What do you enjoy most
about being a Radio on Air Personality?
Definitely, it is my interviews. For me, every day is memorable.
I live everyday like it’s a mystery. I love to interview people so most of my
interviews are memorable. On a normal day, I wake up at 4 am and I have to
prepare. I do research on what I would talk about. I manage the production
department and I have to make sure we have a distinctive sound. We are a happy
fun station. Happiness is my watchword, I don’t like the all serious mood.
What were you into before
Cool FM?
I was into production on a freelance basis. After my graduation
from the university, I came to Lagos to discover my talent because I loved to
sing and write. Along the line, things weren’t so easy for me but I got lucky.
I had the opportunity to do jingles and promotions for companies like MTN,
Coca-Cola 50 year’s anniversary in Nigeria, Oceanic Bank, First city monument
bank and others. The money I made from this went into clothes and payment of my
dues.
Basically, I was just surviving with my talent until I heard
about Project Fame Competition in South Africa. I was chosen alongside Dare Art
Alade and Jidâdah to represent Nigeria but I did not go far, I came back to
Nigeria. On coming back, I was interviewed by Cool Fm and got the job to do
production. After a while, I started handling some shows on weekends , the
management were happy , that is how I started the breakfast show. When Dan
Foster left, there was nobody to do his job. They kept looking for someone with
the voice until they became stuck with me. I don’t see my job as mere
broadcasting but as raising the standards of my radio station. It’s a privilege
to be with Cool Fm, it’s the only radio station where you can learn everything.
What did you learn from
these competitions especially Project Fame South Africa?
I learnt that competitions are not the best way to prove one’s
skill. Well if not for project fame, you probably won’t know my name. I have
always been in competitions like Benson and Hedges Grab the Mic competition
that PSquare won at the national level. I won for my state but when I got to
the eastern draw, I lost. Then I was not ready for stardom. I wasn’t excited at
these competitions because I didn’t win so it felt like routine to me. Some
people are destined to win and some are not. I don’t advise anybody to go into
competitions not because I lost but because if it’s not your thing, don’t kill
yourself.
Why did you opt for
Linguistics when your passion was in music and writing?
It does not always work like that. Sometimes you discover
yourself when you are already in an institution. I discovered myself when I was
already in the university, some people discover themselves late in life, some
early. I have always loved to write I have been writing songs since I was 15
but I see it as a hobby , so it was not developed. It was when I got to the
university, I discovered I should have developed it. Geographically where I
was, music was not up at the university. After graduation, I decided to get
trained; I did vocal classes, sound classes, keyboard classes in Calabar. I did
not sing in the church or anything I just naturally know how to sing. I have a
very peculiar voice and it’s God’s gift.
You started out trying to
break into the music industry, what do you think has changed in the industry?
It was lots better then than it is now. These days, a lot of
people do not really understand what music is about. Music is a tool that
should be used to affect people positively. Most of the times the songs we
listen to nowadays, we cannot gain anything from it, there are some songs where
the artist would be praising him/herself. Why should one buy your CD if your level
has changed or you are the worst person in the world? Of what relevance is that
to our lives?
These days, people just sing because they want to get rich. Some
because they think music is easy and also because the recording sciences have
made it easy for everybody to sing. Nobody sings for music sake anymore,
everybody just want to be known.
When should we expect an
album from you?
I don’t want to sing any kind of song I want to sing a song that
is relevant. So I decided to leave that in God’s time, I will use my voice. I
don’t want to sing songs on drugs and party and all that. I want to sing songs
that will affect people postively , the world is so scary , people need to be
reassured. I want to sing a song , that will make people stop in their hearts and
meditate. There’s a song I wrote a while ago, titled ‘Lets Pray’, it talks
about life. All my songs are motivational. Everything for me now is timed. In
life you don’t have to be king of two professions. One thing for sure is that
it will be produced by Cobhams.
What has changed for you
after marriage?
Everything has changed. I don’t keep late nights again because I
have a family to go home to. I only go for events that are relevant to my
career. “I don’t ‘rumour ramp’ it’s a slang that means ‘I was there’. People
who ‘rumour ramp’ go everywhere and like it when they are talked about. I stay
with my onions”. I don’t worship human beings like people do and I don’t like
it when people worship me. I don’t believe humans should be worshipped except
God. That’s one thing that I am an advocate for, Humility.
