Akinborewa Ayokunlemi, popularly known as Ay-love CEO, Don of Microphone Media who is renowned for his captivating performance as an MC and gradually creating a niche for himself in the entertainment industry speaks with MadamAproko about his career, his embarrassing moments and other issues.
Tell us how you started your career as an MC?
I started my career as an MC during the 7months nationwide ASUU strike way back in school in the year 2008,i used to be into music and i was the crew manager of my group, so we had lots of events during the strike because we were so idle at home, i was the compere for all the concerts we had, though i still sing with the group too, so i functioned then as a gospel artiste and also an event compere but then i was just limited to my group events alone but as a matter of fact i began to get invitations from people who came to grace our concerts and they were always inviting me to anchor events forgetting the fact i could sing, from there i started getting little encouragements financially, before a wink of an eye, what was an hobby in those years became a job and as soon as i finished from school, i added more packaging to it and i branded myself the more, in the year 2009 when i finished school, i faced it squarely and i took it as a full time profession, now i talk for a living.
For how long have you been into the MC business professionally?
6years
As an MC who would you say are your influences?
Chris Rock in the USA, i love his style as a compere, Frank Edoho, Bovi, Ali Baba, Basketmouth and Gbenga Adeyinka are my influences in Nigeria.
Do you have any particular Style you use when you are on stage?
I don’t have a particular style, i am just myself on stage, maybe fans who watch me on stage might coin out my style though because they watch me so they are used to my way of doing things.
Where do you get your materials from?
I pick my materials from my environment, things i can see in every present situation or anything trending per time, i pick materials from there.
As an MC at times you crack jokes what happens if people don’t laugh at your jokes?
Well, if my audience don’t laugh at my jokes, i don’t feel bad, most times your audience might not even be tuned at jokes especially at an event when their mindset is to come and dine and wine and leave, i just keep the joke, add more spice to it and hit them at another occasion and this time you would be surprised it was the joke nobody laughed at before, gave you much applaud at another event. Also your kinda audience matters too and their mindset per time
What was your first job like?
My first job was just a green light to indicate talking is my thing because my first time didn’t look like it was my first to my audience.
Aside been a master of ceremony what do you do for a living?
Aside MC, i am a trained event consultant, i plan events and big shows and i get pay from it too.
Do you make money from this profession?
Yeah, i make money from my profession, it is very lucrative, u just talk and u get a credit alert, it is fun and i am enjoying it
What thrills you about your profession?
What thrills me about my profession is the brand and packaging of the profession, i love the corporate world so my profession has taken me more deep into the corporate world, when i dress as an MC for an event, i look more like a bank manager and top CEOs of multinational companies, so i love the branding attached to the profession.
Why choose this profession seeing that you studied industrial chemistry in school?
I chose to be an MC even when i studied a non-relating course because i just did that for the sake of education but within me i knew it wasn’t gonna put food on my table for a day, which my talents will do.
Are your parents in support of you been an MC?
Yeah they are, but they weren’t in support at first, my Pastor dad believes comedians are liars, you know been an MC is party of comedy, that we don’t say things that are real but i stood my ground. Now that it is bringing money and fame, they don’t have any option than to just support because they know it’s in me and i am passionate about it
Given the quality of talents on local scene how do you intend to stand out from the rest?
With God, determination and hard work i will stand out.
What are the challenges you facing in the industry?
The challenges goes down to the area of finance, you find it so hard to get sponsors or individuals to finance your project even when u sell your ideas to them, they believe entertainment projects can bring in revenue for them, i just wish the government can set up a sector for entertainment in Nigeria and start financing it for great minds like us who has projects and will need big capital backing to execute.
Where do you see entertainment industry in the next five years?
I see entertainment industry has one of the industries with the highest income just like crude oil today, i see it affecting Nigerian economy positively.
How do you handle your female fans?
I handle them with so much care because they are weaker vessels, i treat them with so much respect and honour, and I have more of my fans as the opposite sex, so I even pay them more attention
Are you in a relationship?
No am not,still searching
Have you ever had any heart break?
Yes i have.
How were you able to survive the heart break?
It took me a very long time to forget the shock though but i just had to let go and move on because what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, so i became more rigid on the inside after the incidence.
Any embarrassing moment?
Yes oh, there was a time I was well dressed for an event all white and immediately i alighted from my car at the venue of the event, I took the left hand side of the hall in which normarlly nobody use to pass that place, simply because i didn’t want people to see me, i never knew some caterers at the event were busy washing plates at a corner of the hall, suddenly as i wanted to step into the hall they threw their water that has been used to wash plates at the event at me, i was so bittered and embarrassed, i felt so bad because i was the MC and i was messed up and i couldn’t go on stage that way and i had to drive back home to change before i came back another MC has been called upon to continue.
How do your fans reach you when they need your services for their events?
ayloveinlove@gmail.com , donofmicrophone@gmail.com or 07068382395, 08153005699
