The Cordelia Okpei Interview

                                          Cordelia is so pretty....and shes Isoko...LOL
                                                                 
                                                                      
Cordelia Okpei is a beautiful and affable on-air personality with Metro Fm. The Delta State-born presenter, in this interesting interview with daily newswatch  talks about her family background, her humble beginning in the industry, her challenges and other riveting issues
Excerpts from the Interview



Could you briefly recall your growing up?
My growing up wasn’t bad. My father was still working in the media then as a broadcaster and a producer. As somebody who has a good upbringing, growing up wasn’t troublesome or hectic because our parents tried to give us the life that they didn’t have. They sent us to schools and tried to provide the basic things we needed. It is not that we had everything like the children of the rich, but we didn’t lack. In other words, they did their best to put us on the right path


What about your schooling?
I had my primary and secondary schools in Benin and eventually ended up in the University of Benin, Benin, where I studied English Language and literature. I also attended Emotan College for my secondary school; and while I was there, I was in the singing and cultural group. So, we used to sing and go for competitions. I was one of the lead vocalists for my school choir and for my church choir in Benin. It was so interesting. Through the school choir, I visited places like Abuja and Lagos for the first time. It was fun visiting those places and it was quite different from what I had known before. I met new people and for some of the competitions, it was quite interesting. All that happened in the secondary school. But when I got into the university, I was quiet.


Would I be right to say that your background prepared you for broadcasting?
Maybe or maybe not, I will say that I was one of those whom God gave the gift to be on radio. Of course, we all have our gifts. I am lucky because that’s where I have my strength. I remember I was either in class 1 or thereabouts when we went to my father’s office in Benin at Ikpoba slope. I was in a car when somebody, Frank Npkoyo, passed.
After we had greeted him, he came back to meet me and said, “What do you want to do in future?”
I said I didn’t know.
He said, “You must be a presenter. In fact, I’m going to talk to your father.” He worked with my father as a presenter. That was what put the idea of being a presenter into my head. But before then, I used to watch my father as a presenter package programmes. He would travel round to put programmes together and I liked the idea. I like how it came out. I liked the idea that people were coming around to look for him and get materials from him, even from the universities. So, that idea got into my head. Somehow in school, I was the best debater. I noticed that I could talk logically. So, I started a radio programme the day I finished my ‘O’ level examination.



What have been your major challenges as a broadcaster?
The major challenge, especially for me who is in the public service working for the government, is that the money is small. The material and work environment sometimes could be horrible. It is not as fresh and nice as you want, but where I am right now, we have a new boss who is putting some new things in place make this environment look better. When the environment is not nice, it could be depressing.



 What has been your contribution to raise the next generation of broadcasters?
Well, I do some teachings because I’ve had a lot of training, home and abroad, and I believe in doing things professionally. You should have the rudiments of everything. As a presenter, you should know the basics of presentation and the ethics. As a producer, you must do the same. I use the training that I’ve received to mentor other people.
Where, in particular, do you teach?
At a point, I used to teach at the FRCN training school. People invite me to give talks on presentation and broadcasting. And when interns come here too, we have a way of mentoring them, just to groom as many as possible, so that we don’t end up having a generation of broadcasters who do not know what broadcasting is all about.


Do you have any personal project?
Yes, I have a personal project called Road to Fame. I am on it with a friend of mine and it’s all about letting the young ones know that the road to stardom is a good road. It’s a good desire to be famous, but the road is not an easy one. It may be easy becoming a star, but remaining a star is difficult. So, you do not drop your school because you see all the hip-hop artistes wearing ‘bling-bling’ and think it just all about that. No, it is not. Don’t believe what you see in the videos.
Complete your education; otherwise, if you eventually become a star, how long will it last? So, Road to Fame is intended to tell them that the road to stardom is fantastic and life after stardom with nothing to fall back on is huge wahala. The project involves going to schools to give talks. There is supposed to be a TV programme for it. I have a pilot edition for it already, but I am just looking for money to start it because TV production is quite expensive and I don’t want to do anything that is mediocre. A lot of people will be waiting to kill me when I do that because I criticise a lot (Laugh).


Are you on any TV programme at the moment?
Yes, I do a lot of TV programmes here and there and for whosoever calls me. Aside Road to Fame, there is a project we just finished work on, which is a tribute to Victor Uwaifo. It is titled Joromi Evolution. We did a tribute to him, which is celebrating the living because we end up doing tributes to people when they have passed on. But I said we are not doing that any more.
He is very much alive and he worked with us on the project. It is a tribute to a living person, a way of saying thank you to him for all that he has done while he is still alive. It is entitled Joromi Evolution: Tribute to Sir Victor Uwaifo. We worked with some people and artistes who were generous with their time on the project.


What’s your background in music?
Well, my father used to compile music from the Congo and did that for many years. So, I grew up listening to music from there a lot. I love world music; sentimental music, Spanish music, Italia music, African music and exotic music.
I call a music programme Dilia’s Cafe when I am on, but it is called cafe when I am not there. I hope to go back full-time soon. We have a lot of work to do on it. I love world music a lot because understanding a bit of somebody else’s music somehow opens a channel for communication. Music opens a link and bridge to people’s lives. That is why I developed that programme......

Lovely Interview.....and oh,Cordelia has got the loveliest voice..she sounds even better than me!..lol