Nerds, creatives, and shortchanging talents!

“The first time I met Charles Novia was on the screen. It took time for me to know he was a corp member because he seemed to be ultra confident, and he had a good grasp of the programme and the vibe of a master entertainer.”

Before he became a Nollywood big boy, music producer, filmmaker, big-time creative, and CEO of Teen TV, Charles Novia was a staff member of the Nigerian Television Authority. True, although he was a corp member. I was a staff member of Nigerian Television Authority Makurdi, where I started my career before I hit the big league at NTA headquarters. The first time I met Charles Novia was on the screen. It took time for me to know he was a corp member because he seemed to be ultra confident, and he had a good grasp of the programme and the vibe of a master entertainer. He was presenting a programme on the youth, and he was phenomenal. I was completely intrigued by Charles Novia, so young then but so focused and entertaining. The day I told him how I met him, he laughed heartily. His usual guttural and heartwarming laughter. He had, of course, “become” and was on his Nollywood journey.

I had complained about how poor the presentation of youth programmes was for a long time across TV channels in the country. Then I met Charles Novia. Unbelievable!. I was completely amazed by his presentation style. He was clear, funny, and strategic. But more importantly, he had drama—the one that keeps you engaged throughout the program. And guess what? Charles Novia wished us goodbye at the end of every edition and then proceeded to carry his chair, hanging on his back, and walk out of set. It was mind-blowing. Week after week, I waited to see Charles. My instinct told me he was going to go very far, and I was right. He was my favourite youth presenter on TV, and it has been difficult to find someone who matched his exuberance of his energy. With Charles Novia, “creativity choke.” And so it is with many young people today.

And therein lies the topic for this column. The fact that most creatives are nerds and their ways are not ordinary ways. A lot of times, ideas are falling off our heads, our clothes, and our hands, but other people may not understand. I have often wondered why NTA did not retain Charles, but I go ahead of myself. He may not have wanted to stay, and he brought in something new—carrying his chair out of set was unusual. But creatives can also be nerds, can also be crazy, can also be lonely, can also be overly talkative, or choose to be quiet. These are the ways of creatives, and the new entertainment industry may have started understanding them.

The challenge is: how do people reward talent? Therein lies the big elephant in the room. Reward for talent. I find as a creative myself that people would pay for food but will not pay the appropriate fee for talent. They ask. No, be only to sing? No, be only to talk? As I became more involved in the talk business, I found that even how to charge for one’s talent became a problem. I therefore bought a book related to charging fees for one’s talent.

Still, it would seem that people would undermine what you do and pretend that they do not know that what you do as a host, moderator, or MC is work. Some people still do not understand that to be a TV presenter, a facilitator, or a panellist is work and needs to be paid for. I met many talented young people like Charles Novia back then doing great things who are so frustrated. No chance given. No reward offered. I am not talking about those just starting who need the platforms for showcase. I am not talking about those who have no interest in building relationships. I am not talking about those whose only interest is money and who are talentless. I am talking about those who have paid their dues, showed up, showed out, and done the work.

Let us please reward talent before all the international networks take all our children.

I stand in the vanguard. I believe in creativity. It is possible!