Kola Oladapo, a brainy and versatile radio presenter on Ibadan radio. He’s currently with Lagelu 96.7 FM. The popular ‘Mr9ceGuy’ spoke with one of our correspondents on how he needed to drop the Sportscaster identity for other parts on radio.
Can we meet you sir? Including your educational background
I am Oladapo Kolawole Adekunle but called Kola Oladapo Mr9iceguy. With diploma in mass com @ OOU.
Sir, How and when did you get into the media industry?
It’s a long story but I will summarise it to answer few of your questions. I’m an addicted radio and TV audience since my childhood. My childhood friend Wale Okunola and i did listening to radio OYO and BCOS FM 98.5 now Oluyoler FM. We also liked watching TV alot despite we had no TV set but we would go to daddy Amina or baba Ijesa’s house to watch series of shows like wrestling, action movies, Yoruba dramas, foreign and local musicals and many more. But then i detested news because it gets me bored. My friend Wale and i loved listening to Gbenga Adeboye, Toba Opaleye, Kolade Alabi, Kola Olootu, Wale Done, Lanre Akanji, Wale Rufai, Lere Shittu, Laolu Olatubosun, Demola Adeniyi and others but we mostly loved Gbenga Adeboye. The funniest part of my story is that i didn’t have interest in broadcasting but my friend Wale did. I only had passion for football because i was a fantastic and popular footballer in our area then. Though people believed I’m a funny guy that talks much but i didn’t see it. My only ambition was to become an int’l professional footballer but it faded away when i got legs problem. Thank God i can still walk today. I did not cry so much when my father died in the year 2000 after 2 years of serious sickness but i wept painfully when Gbenga Adeboye died early 2003 because of the love i had towards him. Anyway, i was a shoemaker when Gbenga Adeboye died in that 2003. Then i’ve discovered myself as a potential in broadcasting. I didn’t have shop but i did manage my father’s veranda where I’ve been making sandals & pam slippers in quantities. To kept my company while working, an electronic cassette player and a transistor radio would be beside me to play music and listen to programmes respectively. One Tuesday afternoon in that year, I was listening to radio Premier FM to be precise, i just heard a voice sounding like Gbenga Adeboye’s and I was thinking that has Adeboye risen or who could this man be? At the end of the show he mentioned his name as Adewale Dada The Good ti ko ni baje lailai faaabada. The following week, i monitored the programme “Idan Nlo” from beginning till the end. The third week I went to premier FM at Dugbe and i was fortunate to meet Mr Wale Dada. So i introduced myself to him as i wished to be his trainee and he granted my request. He told me to be punctual started from the following week. That’s how i joined broadcasting. Not quite long i joined him he allotted me a segment “Iroyin Kolese Nle”. It’s all about funny news. Laolu Ayefele was the main backup (Alajasa) when the Good was projecting like Gbenga Adeboye while Tope Falana chants Ijala. But whenever none of them presents I do the ajasa. The Good was living in Abeokuta while I lived in Ibadan, this hinders me to learn more things about broadcasting aside Presentation and I wanted to become a well known voiceover artist because i listen and watch adverts. My spirit said I should go to Mr Ademola Adeniyi and he will be my ladder to the main broadcasting. At the end of the year 2003, I went to BCOS to meet with Mr Ademola Adeniyi. I introduced myself as a trainee of Wale Dada but I need more knowledge on broadcasting. He also permitted me to follow him. I started with him fully in January 2004. Through Demola Adeniyi i was exposed to recording studios, staging drama for Oyo state governor senator Rasidi Ladoja @ mediation Centre, Ministry of justice, Ibadan. I also participated in a radio drama MAJEKOBAJE aired on radio AM, sponsored by Oyo state Ministry of Environment. I later acted in a famous radio drama ABULE OLOKE MERIN and so on. My boss Ademola did not give me any script to read but sometimes i did compose songs for jingles’ production. Though i can’t sing but i do write songs. Through Ademola Adeniyi i got access to BCOS and met different bosses who fell in love with me like Mr Sunday Adekunjo who believes in my voiceover ability. Anytime he gets job, he calls me to voice Yoruba version while he voices English and he pays me token then likewise Mrs Olaitan Adesesan. Mrs Yemisi Adedokun of commercial department connected me with different clients. Aside gaining access to both live and recording studios through my both bosses Wale Dada and Ademola Adeniyi, i discovered and developed myself. My genesis in broadcasting was so though and rough but thanks to my Creator. I eventually achieved my target to become a famous voiceover Artist and MC. But i did hard work before i rose and be reckoned with at BCOS where bundle of talents and veterans are shining. Thanks to Alhaji Wale Rufai and uncle Feranmi Babalola who always correct me whenever they listen to my jingles on air. I was a pioneer member of UI radio, Diamond FM 101.1 in 2008, where I was presenting EMA FLENJO, a Yoruba entertainment programme. I was also a pioneer member of BCOS Ajilete FM 92.1, Ogbomoso, 2009 where i was anchoring EKU OJORO on Monday’s evening, an entertainment show and OWURO LOJO on Tuesdays, a musical talk/public enlightenment show. And all this while i’ve become a famous voiceover artist that to the extent people called me ‘Kola Jingle’. I later joined Splash FM in 2011 as a Yoruba sports presenter. Before Lagelu FM came on board in 2015. When i began anchoring Yoruba political /current affairs show, entertainment and news casting till this moment.
You’re such a versatile radio presenter, Sir, how were you able to achieve this?
According to my above narration, you could discover that the foundation of my sojourn in broadcasting is capital TALENT. This profession is a divine calling for me. That’s why i find it easier to present any programme.Sir, your mode of presentation on radio shows you’re a sound researcher, what’s been the push?
Sir, your mode of presentation on radio shows you’re a sound researcher, what’s been the push?
I read little bit on the topic i want to read, I watch News, Political Shows, Documentaries, Discoveries, Sports and others on both local and international TV channels. I watch movies especially foreign, listen to radio shows especially correct English programmes. I listen to music and interact with people.
You were widely known as a brainy sportscaster, why did you bow out as one sir?
Truly i pioneered Yoruba Sports Updates called JAWONSI on Splash FM in 2011 where i did feature sports personalities and analysts. I can boldly say that I introduced Hip-pop instrumental and analysis to Yoruba radio sports presentation in Oyo state. Though Babatunde Saheed Mrsport, Shola Aiyegbajeje, Kola Omotosho KOB and Adewale Tijani TJsport have been presenting sports before I diversified into sports but my emergence brought new innovation which also featured Olawale Hamzat Topstriker as my own ilukere baba araba then. When Lagelu FM came on board and the management discovered that Topstriker is capable of Yoruba sports news on Lagelu FM, they gave him contract. His excellent performance made him spread tentacles to Splash FM. To relieve me from burden activities, the management felt Olawale should handle sports on both stations. Because I was burdened with different shows on both channels sports and Bebe Extra that Bayoo left on Splash and news and other programmes on Lagelu FM then. So I had to let the Sports Presentation go so that I’ll create a new identity for myself.
Sir, if not radio, what would have been your chosen career?
If not broadcasting, maybe I would become a footballer or a pilot or a soldier. Those are my father’s preferable jobs for me and i like them too.What do you have for your sports fans who are still hoping to see you talking sport again?
What do you have for your sports fans who are still hoping to see you talking sport again?
They should not stop the love they have towards me, follow me on all my shows and continue to appreciate all sports presenters.
Sir, what are the challenges so far as an OAP?
The main challenge is that money doesn’t easily come as it’s expected. As an OAP, at times I might be feeling despondent due to my current situation but i have to compose myself so that it won’t reflect in my presentation.
Can we know your memorable day as an OAP?
Haa. I have many positive and negative memorable days. I was highly elated on the first day my boss Adewale Dada The Good asked me to do ad-libbing (Ajasa) when Laolu Ayefele and Tope Falana were not present. We presented the show together from A-Z on premier FM.
Advice to your colleagues and upcoming sir?
To my colleagues, let’s give more room to creativity and innovation that can drive the industry forward. We know that Nigeria don’t encourage quality broadcasting these days but we have to give our best to achieve greatly and write our names on a platter of gold. For upcomings that aspire to become OAPs, media is not for lazy minds and forget money at the inception of your career if you really mean the business. To excel, you need passion, commitment, competency and creativity. Then fame will come and money follows.
Thanks for speaking with Primus Media City.