Radio and TV personality, Toke Makinwa is gradually making wave in the Nigerian entertainment industry. She is one woman who has her hands in different pies. She left the banking industry to follow her passion in the entertainment industry. To her, she has never had any reason to regret her action and from all indications, Toke’s beauty, poise and passion for her job have brought her fame in the last few years. She shares her experience with SEGUN ADEBAYO in this interview.
For somebody who had built a career and name for herself on radio, how easy was it for you when you started appearing on TV?
People always say that radio presenters make better Television presenters and I agree. There are so many examples. People like Ryan Seacrest, Oprah Winfrey, Wendy Williams and the likes all started with radio. This is not to say that TV presenters are not good at what they do, but being on radio before going on TV makes you more confident as you are familiar with entertaining people and interviewing stars without the camera present. Your level of confidence grows from the mistakes and blunders you’ve made and you already have a following.
Watching you on TV, one could not have believed that you started with radio. Could you tell me about that thing in you that gives your audience something fresh, new and thrilling?
I think that has to be the gift of gab. I have always been described as the ‘life of a party.” There is never a dull moment with me. It is such a blessing because I don’t even consider myself as funny but God has been really good to me. I am completely grateful for God’s grace.
You are gradually stepping up the ladder of fame, does your steady rise to stardom surprise you and what would you attribute your staying power secret to?
I will attribute it all to God. My career has grown immensely before my eyes and everything has somehow worked out in my favour and I know without a doubt in my heart that this can only be God and I take nothing for granted. I work as hard as I do because I know how much I want to be successful.
Your journey into entertainment must have come with its good and bad sides. Handling the transition from Toke the radio girl to Toke the Tv personality, would you say it has been easy?
It has been on a steady rise and I think It happened and is still happening every day. I won’t say it has been hard or it has always been easy, I would say because I love what I do, what seems like a challenge is met with enthusiasm from me. They always say “when you want something to work, you apply yourself, you don’t take no for an answer and you keep on knocking that door till it gives.”
People hardly recognise you as a radio person, now that they know what you look like, does it come with added pressure since you have to appear new and carry yourself well?
No, I don’t feel any pressure. I go to work on the radio pretty early, sometimes I am in my track downs and a Tee Shirt because it is quite early.
When I am on Television, I am almost always glammed up. They both have different roles and I play it to the best of my knowledge. The experience has been exciting.
Now let’s discuss your career. What led you into this? I learnt you worked in the banking sector when you graduated from the University of Lagos...
I worked in the banking sector for about two years. Prior to my radio job, I had always wanted to do what I’m doing now, but I guess the timing wasn’t right. I auditioned to work for MTV in the Uk, but I didn’t get the job. I came back and went through series of auditions in Nigeria, I had so many doors slammed in my face and just when I was about to throw in the towel, I went home one night and my sister told me that she heard Silverbird was hiring, I did the voice job for them and I got the job. It was one of the happiest days of my life and the journey hasn’t been easy, but I thank God I didn’t give up. Sometimes I look back, I wonder if MTV had hired me, I wouldn’t be where I am today, so I’m thankful for my job.
Can you conveniently say you had seen all these coming your way back then and did you actually plan for what your life has turned out to be today?
I never planned for these. As I said earlier, the journey wasn’t easy, I have always wanted to do what I am presently doing now, but I never imagined that things would happen this way.
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