It’s not every day you hear of instances where companies decide to take talent over training when hiring and moulding the image of its brand, but then again it all boils down to individual or institutional ideologies. One such place that’s blazing the trail is Nairobi-based Ghetto Radio 89.5 FM.
In an industry that was for long the preserve of celebrities or socialites, the station burst into the scene and made HUGE gambles by going a different way. Instead of hiring ‘professionals’ they chose to go with what station representatives thought was talent, and took on a street urchin turned studio cleaner. This individual would then go on to become one of the leading radio personalities of our time, the phenomenon that is Mbusii.
We all know how that story wound up, with the addition of Bonoko, who barely had much to his title, but now their drive time radio segment, Goteana, is one of the most listened to radio shows in the country! And just as we thought Ghetto Radio were doen with the surprises, we got to see their Facebook update:
“Who says talent exists to the already made celebrities? Well Ghetto Radio has not once… or twice, but THRICE proven that notion wrong, First came mbusii then Bonoko and now… (we have) KANANA!”
The statement continued:
“You probably giggle when you hear her argue with Cafu (Iku’s man), some are convinced that Kanana is the high school girlwho features in a local show (on Citizen TV) ‘Papa Shirandula’, but you are wrong.”
Ghetto Radio went on to confirm to us that the station’s newest presenter, Kanana, was a house help, who used to consistently call in to the station requesting her favourite music. The way she interacted with the presenter on call caught the attention of producers and Ghetto Radio resolved to take her on.
“Until recently, 26 year old Florence Kanana, who was born and raised in Meru, was a house help in Kahawa West. She had previously worked as a house help in Nairobi’s Mathare North Area 4 for one year before moving to Kahawa West for 2 years),” the statement went on to read.
Kanana had this to say to confirm, “Unajua nilienda hadi form 1 nikakosa fee sikuendelea, nikakuja (Nairobi) kutafuta job juu ya shida..”
The station manager Julius ‘Maji Maji’ Owino noticed she would call in every Saturday requesting for one specific song (Bend Over by RDX).
“She was an active participant with a funny twist,” said Julius, “…and so I decided to pursue her (for almost 2 months) and convince her to come try out radio.”
There was one tiny problem though; Kanana could not leave her employer’s house because she was owed Kshs. 2000 in arrears. But the show manager promised to offset the money owed as he was determined to have her on board.
“Months on and Kanana is slowly upping her skills… and who knows she could be the next great thing!” says Julius.
Her number one dream is to get back to school and eventually attain a Communications Degree because she feels she belongs in the media.
by niaje.com
