Actress Mary Uranta’s allegation: My story By TONY OGAGA ERHARIEFE

In its travel advisory, the Goethe Institute had warned: ‘Pack an umbrella and a sweater.’ For no particular reason I had ignored the warning and I was about to learn the hard way.

As soon as we touched down at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Nairobi, for the 10 Cities project, sponsored by Goethe Institute, Nairobi and designed to capture the evolution of club culture and music in 10 cities across the world, I knew I was in a different environment. For one, the air smelt clean but the weather was cold, so cold I could feel it in my marrows.

We had spent two brainstorming days that included power point presentations, in-depth discussions and debates. Now the organisers felt we should take a retreat and visit one of Kenya’s treasured resorts, Lake Naivisha, located in Nairobi’s countryside and elevated at 6000 feet above sea level.

It promised to be an exciting experience as we had been informed that the journey would take us through the rift valley, which I had read about in the Geography books back in my secondary school days.

Though, it rained the previous night and the weather was cold and I was shivering, I was excited and looking forward to the journey. I had scarcely settled into the tour bus with my colleagues from around the world when my phone beeped.

“Hello,” I said recognising the voice to be that of Mercy (surname withheld).

“Tony, that headline was not good, that headline was not good, how could you have done that,” Mercy moaned endlessly. “I was confused and perplexed, what was she talking about on a Sunday morning...what was happening...?

“What are you talking about?” I finally found my voice. I had forgotten that I had done a story on actress Mary Uranta, her client, which was yet to be published before I left for Kenya. However, it soon dawned on me that she was complaining about the headline.

“I am in Kenya. I haven’t seen the story,” I said with a promise to revert to her as soon as possible.

As we drove through Nairobi’s countryside, I was deeply troubled. I couldn’t wait to make it to Lake Naivisha and view the story online myself. However, when we finally made it to Naivisha, Internet connectivity was poor and so I couldn’t access the story and attempts to recharge my phones were not successful.

I had scarcely settled into my apartment by the lake when the deluge began. In less than an hour, I had received over 20 phone calls from Nigeria; calls from concerned friends and family members including my wife. They were all bothered by a broadcast that had emanated from Mary Uranta declaring that she had never met me and did not grant me an interview. She added that my story which was published on the cover of Sunday Sun of April 28, 2013 was downloaded from the Internet and bogus!

I was troubled. On a dozen occasions, I tried to either call Nigeria or view the story online but all my attempts were futile. While I could receive calls from Nigeria, calling out was a great challenge. What compounded my plight was that Internet connectivity though available was very unreliable at Lake Naivisha. Consequently, I had to endure three days of suspense and sheer torture.

It was until when we returned to Chester House where we were lodged in Nairobi on the evening of Tuesday, April 30 that I finally had Internet connectivity. I quickly went online and logged into my email. It was then that I saw the mail forwarded to me by my desk head, Mr. Tosin Ajirire entitled, Broadcast from Mary Uranta. For over five minutes, I stared in utter disbelief at the mail credited to Mary Uranta, which had been trending on BB, Facebook and Twitter. So acidic was the tone it had the capacity to destroy my reputation as a journalist.

What hurt me most was that the mail claimed that I had been begging Mary Uranta for an interview. I find that most ridiculous. In my 11 years as a journalist, I have interviewed the hottest acts both in music and Nollywood, and I never had to beg to have these interviews. So, why would I beg Mary Uranta for an interview?  Furthermore, she denied never knowing or meeting me and I was surprised at her declaration.

 

Setting the records straight

Until mid to late last year, I had never heard the name, Mary Uranta. The first time I heard her name was when Mary’s publicist, Mercy, had approached me at an event in Lagos and asked how she could get her client on the cover of the Sunday Sun or TS Weekend, our Friday pullout.

As Mercy tried to sell Mary Uranta to me, I admitted that I knew nothing about her. However, Mercy insisted that the actress needed visibility and was in the process of rebranding and so would love to grace the cover of the Sunday Sun or TS Weekend. According to her, if I could deliver, there would be financial gratification as her client was willing to part with cash to achieve her desire. However, knowing fully well that it was against journalism ethics, I had declined the advance and advised that she should make Mary available for an interview and if she gave me a good story, she would definitely make the cover. It was on this note that we ended the discussion.

However, a couple of weeks later, I received my first mail from Mercy on her client, Mary Uranta. She had sent to me a material which was published in my weekly column, Skoops, on August 24, 2012 entitled, “Lover boy spoils actress Mary Uranta silly: Buys her SUV, posh apartment”. The only reason I agreed to publish was because Mercy assured me the news was exclusive to The Sun.

After the publication of the story, Mercy called to thank me that her client was pleased with me. Again we had discussed the issue of an interview with her client and I assured Mercy that all she needed to do was make Mary available.

Also in early January 2013, Mercy had forwarded to me another story; “Mary Uranta bags UN Ambassadorship”, which was also published in The Sun. A short while later, Mercy and I met and she thanked me for the earlier publications and again raised the issue of an interview with Mary Uranta.

Mercy, however, fixed an interview a couple of times but it was either Mary was not available or I was busy and so the interview could not hold.

 

Meeting Mary Uranta

The first time I met Mary Uranta was when I was invited to Sugar N’ Spice, an entertainment/fashion programme on NTA 2 Channel 5 anchored by Rose Peters-Graham. Mary, Mercy and I had participated in the live programme together after which Mercy introduced me to Mary Uranta who thanked me for my earlier stories on her and promised to make herself available for an interview at her earliest convenience.

However, during the one-year anniversary of Sugar N Spice, which was held at Jade Palace, Victoria Island, Lagos, on February 16, Mary and I met again and we joked and discussed at length and we became friends. Before we parted that night, we exchanged phone numbers and fixed another appointment for an interview. The climax of the night was when Mary and I posed for a photograph together.

This completely debunks her claims that she has never met me. That night Mary Uranta dropped me off at Eko Hotel & Suites where I had another engagement. However, once again, the interview was unable to hold, as it was either Mary was not available or I was too busy.

A while later, I met Mercy again and we discussed and she suggested that since Mary nor I was available for the interview, she would interview Mary and send the materials to me like she had done for a couple of other journalists before. Eventually, Mercy sent me materials on Mary from which I built the story that was published in The Entertainer on Sunday, April 28.

I would like to state here categorically that I have never received payment of any kind from Mary Uranta. In this profession, the only thing I have is my reputation, which is directly tied to my name. Consequently, in my 11 years of journalism, I have never plagiarised anybody so it was with shock that I read Mary’s broadcast that cold evening in Nairobi, Kenya. As a professional, I know the implication of downloading stories from the Internet and passing the same for publication as my own. Such is beneath me and I find Mary’s accusations most embarrassing and damaging.

All I wanted to achieve from the outset was promote Mary Uranta’s career. Little did I know that my effort would culminate in such an embarrassing situation for me, my family and loved ones.

 

 

keep watering that seed of greatness, it has germinated and will soon get to harvest!

Majek Fashek resurrects at COSON night of fun and panache -Says: I get $10,000 royalty per month

It was a shattering climax last week Saturday for

RAS KIMONO  & MAJEK FASHEK

COSON Week 2013 during the COSON Awards, which held at the New Ballroom of Oriental Hotel, Lekki, Lagos. The event, which was graced by both the old and young generation of showbiz stars, was indeed a celebration of Nigerian music.

Celebrities who lit the red carpet included Tuface Idibia and wife, Annie Macaulay, Sunny Neji, Ras Kimono, Victor Uwaifo, Sir Shina Peters and wife, Sammie, Kenny Saint Best, Ras Sparkle, King Wadada, Dayo Adeneye (DI), Obiwon and wife, Nkechi, Mr. Kool, Delight, Ify Chukwu, Blossom Gabriel, Azeezat and husband, Seyi Allen, and Alariwo of Africa among a host of others.

It was a night that the flag of Nigerian music was hoisted aloft as Nico Mbaga’s Sweet Mother clinched the award for The Song of the ‘70s while Majek Fashek got the award for the Song of the ‘80s with his classic, Send Down The Rain. Femi Kuti’s Bang Bang Bang ran away with the award for Song of the ‘90s while Tuface Idibia’s African Queen clinched the award for Song of the 2000s.

Man of the moment

However, the man of the moment was none other than Majek Fashek, the reggae icon popularly known as the Rainmaker, who put up a fabulous and outlandish performance to the delight of the audience. As soon as the star made his entry to a rousing welcome around 11pm, the entire hall stood up to receive him and as he was ushered into the VIP arena, Majek showed he still had a lot of respect for elders when he went on his knees and pleaded with veteran highlife musician, Sir Victor Uwaifo to pray for him which he promptly did before the reggae artiste mounted the stage.

However, it was a different Majek that went on stage as he virtually brought down the roof with the dazzling performance of his hit tracks, Send Down The Rain and Little Patience. Majek later spoke to TS Weekend describing COSON Week as the greatest thing to happen to Nigerian music

MAJEK FASHEK & BISI OLATILO

“Thank God, Tony Okoroji has always projected and protected the music industry and this is awesome! I am an American superstar and when Americans play your music, they pay the artiste. That’s what COSON is trying to do for the industry. You don’t have to bribe for your copyright. I get $10, 000 from BMI every month so when Nigerian press said that I was broke, I just laughed at them because they know nothing. I am registered with BMI. They handle all my royalties and I get paid so I am not broke. It’s time for Nigerian press to promote me so I can promote young artistes and so that we don’t create discord in the industry,” Majek said.

Against the backdrop of reports that he’s very sick, how come he was able to perform so well? Majek responded thus: “I used Jesus juju; that was what you saw on stage just now. Nigerian press has to help the younger artiste. If you help me you will help young artiste.”

Majek also talked about his new album entitled, Gangsta Rasta, which should be released in a couple of weeks by April Records. “Right now, I am the Gangsta Rasta. I am working on a new album entitled, Gangsta Rasta, which is dropping by month end. Gangsta Rasta is all about working with the youths. It’s a brand new concept of how we can balance the youths and Majek wants to have a blend of the old and the new. As a Rastaman, I feel the gangsta are ruling right now so let’s have a fusion of the gangsta and the rasta hence we have gangstarasta. The album is unique. It is dropping by month end. We are looking at 16 tracks,” the Rainmaker explained.

RISE AND RISE OF COMEDIAN SAKA

 
Recently, he made headlines after dumping Etisalat, which he had fronted for many years, and then in a primetime TV ad campaign surprisingly sang ‘I don port’ to MTN, another telecoms company.

However, with the multi-million-naira move regarded as a brand coup of the year, Hafiz Oyetoro popularly known as Saka, boasted that he has finally slaughtered poverty! Indeed, poverty was like a second skin to the popular comedian, who grew up on a farm where his parents laboured day and night to give him and his siblings the best life had to offer.

This much the comic revealed to TS Weekend in an exclusive chat during the launch of MeetOrbit.com, a social networking platform, in Victoria Island, Lagos last weekend.

“I was not born with a silver spoon and I am not from a rich family,” Saka confesses while recounting his early years, “I am from a very poor background. My parents are farmers and I grew up on a farm at Adegbola, a settlement in Iseyin, Oyo State. Though, they were poor in financial terms, they were rich in terms of values and they impacted these values in me. They were hard working and did all they could to build me up.”

He says further: “I am very happy and grateful to God that they are still alive though very old. I see them often. I feel fulfilled that in their lifetime, they have lived to see what I am today. They are happy that they have a child who is trying to take care of them.”

Recounting his childhood on the farm settlement in Iseyin, Saka states: “It was rough. I was born in Adegbola, a farm settlement. My father was hard working and had a very large farm. Those days, school fees were not that high. We were brought up to be satisfied with the little God gave our parents so the little they gave us satisfied us. We did not get monthly allowances like kids do these days. They were farmers so we had a lot of food at home. God was wonderful.” 

Doctorate degree

Unknown to many, Saka is not only a graduate; he is also a lecturer and is currently studying for his doctorate degree in Performance Studies at University of Ibadan. But with his popularity and all the money he has made, why does he need to go back to school? The comedian laughs loudly as he responds: “I am currently studying for my PhD at the Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan. I am in my second year. The programme will take four years so I am not a doctor yet. Knowledge is power. The day you stop acquiring knowledge is the beginning of your destruction.”

“Oh sorry, not your destruction,” he says, laughing mischievously in that characteristic Saka style, which has endeared him to millions of fans on TV. “Let me rephrase, ‘the day a man stops acquiring knowledge is the day he signs his death warrant!’ I am a trained thespian. Even my PhD programme is on Performance Studies. I keep reading and retraining myself.”

According to Saka, he is not surprised that a few people know that he is a lecturer. According to the comedian, he began lecturing at Ogun State University in the early 1990s as a part time lecturer. Around 2001, he started lecturing at Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education as a full time lecturer.

Recounting those years, he says: “As a part time lecturer in the early 1990s, I worked at Ogun State University. Around 2001, I became a full time lecturer at Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education. What I teach is entertainment. Not many people know that I lecture because no television will broadcast you when you’re teaching in the class.”

How are the students coping with his dual personality of a lecturer and comic?

“They are theatre students and they know the difference between the person and the role he plays. Saka does not teach; Saka only acts and make people laugh. Hafiz Oyetoro is the teacher; Hafiz lectures and there lies the difference between the two,” he says with emphasis.

While being a lecturer, did he ever occur to him that one day he would become so big that telecom giants would be scrambling for him? “Everybody thinks and prays to be big,” he says, a look of sincerity in his eyes. “For me, I am not yet big. I am still struggling. I know I still have a long way to go that is why I won’t stop trying to be much better than I am now.

“I never thought about it. For me, I was doing what I enjoyed doing. Just like a businessman who wants to start a small scale business, you can never know whether it is going to be big or small but everybody believes and prays to start something small and see it grow big in future.”

 

Brand Saka

The comedian disclosed that the Saka brand, which has become a household name, was born when he was a lecturer at Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education in 2004. According to him, Gbenga Oyedapo, Head of Theatre Arts Department in the school and himself, developed the stage name. He added that they both kept working on the character until it received wide acceptance from television audiences.

“When you want to build a house, you must start from the foundation. The house does not just spring up out of nothing. It is a combination of what God has given me strength to do over a period of time that actually built the brand, Saka. It all started with Area C and then House Apart. The Saka character is from House Apart, a comedy film. It was well packaged by Royal Roots Communications and it became very popular,” he quips.

Everything about Saka is comedy. Even when he smiles people laugh. How would he describe himself? He smiles and then declares: “The truth is that Saka is just a TV character. I am an easy-going young person. That I don’t have to talk to make people laugh is probably God’s doing. Sometimes, I feel surprised when people laugh at what I do because it happens effortlessly. That does not mean I can’t play any other role. When in school, I did other roles. Even after I finished from school, my first 10 years were spent playing other roles especially stage performances including one-man shows. It’s just that I do more of comedy now.”

Was there a point in time when he felt like giving up on the Saka brand due to challenges of trying to nurture it? His response: “It was tough I must tell you; there were really rough moments but I never lost focus. My father always advised me to be determined, resolute and to work hard in whatever I do. I give glory to God for my parents. They always told me that nothing good comes easy. Life is a struggle and you must persevere to achieve your dream. It’s like someone building a house, you take your time to lay your blocks one by one and then one day, before you know it, the house is ready.”

 

Word of advice

Saka has a word of advice for young people who want to walk in his footsteps. Hear him: “It’s not easy. I want to use this opportunity to let youngsters know that life is not a bed of roses; it is not easy. I want to tell them that the first thing you must identify is your potential. Once you have done that you then work towards developing and packaging it well. Along the line, you will see distraction but don’t lose focus. If it is your potential it means God has a purpose for you and that’s why He gave it to you; He wants you to fulfill a purpose so you must endure and pray to God and jealously work towards it then success will come; it’s a natural formulae.”

So, how much did MTN pay him for ‘porting’ to its platform? Saka’s expression suddenly changes as a more serious look descends on his visage. “No! Don’t go there. Don’t mention anything about branding. That is how you will use style style and start asking irrelevant questions! When the time is ripe I will talk to the press,” he says with finality you dare not contest.