How I Created ‘Moments With Mo’

 

 

Q: How did you come up with the Inspire Africa concept?
A: There is nothing like a new challenge. Inspire Africa is a large pan-African project that intends to inspire, motivate, inform and entertain the continent. However, we realised that the power of the media can never be underplayed and that we must make sure we get it right, even if it means taking things one step at a time. We decided that our first project would be media-related, hence we decided to kick off with a talk show. And that was how we came up with Moments with Mo.

 

Q: So what inspired you to create Moments with Mo?
A: It is very simple really. I was driven by the desire to do something different, something exciting and something creative. And for me, this has to be something that will be new and rewarding for me and for others. So far, we thank God we have been able to build our own first class, state-of-the-art production studios. We have had quite an exciting, entertaining and informative session in our past seasons. We were able to cover so many topics and we interacted with different people as well. These are celebrities and everyday people with extraordinary stories and experiences. We talked about reasons to celebrate, reasons to commiserate and reasons to appreciate. Some of our guests shared with us the various ways they had been able to deal with loss, separation or divorce. Some talked about how they made success of their lives, how they defined success, how they found love and how they lost love. We also discussed fashion and style and we tried to analyse the various ways of looking and feeling good. There are so many angles to the human experience and we tried to cover as many as we could within the number of episodes. And whatever we missed out during the past seasons, we will definitely be looking into it in the coming seasons.

 

Q: The name Moments with Mo sounds very nice. But one can see that it also rhymes with your name. Was that intentional?
A: Yes, it pretty much was. Most talk shows will have the name of the host buried in it somewhere. But over and above that, for us, the full meaning of the name, “Moments” goes beyond it being about me. Our lives are made up of a number of moments. The moments in our lives make us who we are. As people, we experience happy moments, loving moments, sad moments, adventurous moments, challenging moments and many other kinds of moments.

 

 

Q: What does Moments offer the viewers that other talk shows don’t?
A: We strive to offer the viewers quality, variety, entertainment, information, opportunity and fun. We intend, in the long run, to have on the show guests from all over the world. And we really want to make the show become a platform for Africa all over the world. We are offering our viewers the full talk show experience in a way that is not necessarily, readily available in Nigeria right now. Our shows are recorded in front of a studio audience. We will be exploring a variety of topics, unflinchingly, so that people watching at home will be able to appreciate that whatever their own experiences might be, they are not alone. We also intend to become a fully interactive platform, to give the viewer a chance to be a part of the show, to share his or her stories with us via the TV show or our online forum.

 

 

Q: It has been over a year since you began Moments with Mo. How has the journey been so far?
A: It has been an amazing journey. All I have to say is that this journey is not just about me. It takes a whole team of people to make Moments with Mo a reality. I am talking about our production team, our research team, our content team, the technical team, the post-production guys, our pan-African production team and our sponsors, too. I cannot but mention M-Net. They have been very supportive. You see, I don’t believe that there is anything that is done by one individual. It is done by a team of people. And I have an amazing team of passionate people that support the dream that we now share. It is about having a shared vision and having a shared dream. And that dream and vision are to truly inspire Africans. The first part of our journey has been on the production, the conceptualisation, the design and the roll-out of Moments with Mo, which is Africa’s first syndicated talk show, to be broadcast on M-Net. And it goes out to over 40 countries. As I said, it takes a whole lot of people to make that show a reality. You look at a one-hour show and you will be amazed that there is up to ten hours work that goes into an episode. These last few months, I will say we have recorded what I call the good, the bad, the great and the ugly. But I think what is important to note is that life is not so much about being fearful or about never doing anything. Life is about doing it. Even if you do it and you don’t do it so well, you will get better. And I am glad to say that I am my own worst critic. Believe me when I say that nobody can criticise me more than I criticise myself. When people give me feedback, I take it and I smile, because they will not criticise me as much as I criticise myself. So, it has been a journey of correcting our mistakes, working on our errors and striving to improve on our works. We came into this as novice to television. I had never worked in television before. But I thank God that I have a broadcaster like M-Net that understands the quality and has certain production values. And we have worked together as a team to keep improving on those production values.

 

 

Q: Producing a high quality show, such as yours must involve enormous finance. How well have you fared where sponsorship is concerned?
A: We thank God. We have fared very well. The sponsors have really been wonderful. Without the sponsors, we wouldn’t have the cash. Production is expensive business. So, without having the support of the sponsors, it will really be difficult to produce a good quality show. I have mentioned that we have a huge team of people working with us. Everybody must be reimbursed – they must be paid something for their efforts and their work. So, it takes the goodwill of sponsors as well. I am thankful to MTN and Skye Bank. I am particularly thankful to Mr. Sola Akinfemiwa, Managing Director of Skye Bank, who has taken a personal interest in watching me grow, watching the show grow and investing in us. Also, Virgin Nigeria has assisted us greatly. Bras Motors has also been very supportive. In fact, the company recently donated a brand new seven-seater Avanza car, which can be won by any member of the audience. Then, of course, we have other sponsors like Avis. They have all been wonderful really.

 

 

Q: Being the host and the executive producer must have come with a lot of challenges. What has it been like, making the transition to television?
A: It has been a fascinating journey, exciting and nerve-wracking. If I write a book about this experience, it would actually be a bestseller. And sometime in the future, I just might. What have I not experienced on this show? You name it. Being a talk show host is not as easy as people think it is. There is the challenge of stage fright, learning your scripts, connecting with your guests, asking the right questions, doing voice-overs, worrying about what to wear, what to say and so on. On the other hand, being the executive producer comes a bit more naturally to me, because it is more of a business position – working with budgets, schedules, timelines, deadlines, hiring and firing. And I think I am good at that stuff.

 

 

Q: What are some of the challenges you encounter in the course of producing the show?
A: I believe the major challenge is resources. It is pushing the team that I have. I have an amazing team of people that are very passionate. I will like to expand the team. But we need to raise finances for increasing the size of the team. One of the major challenges is producing the quality of shows that we have. We are doing it on a tight budget. I think the major challenge that we have is obviously financial. And one other challenge is stretching my people to the limit. I will like them to have more free time. They are really stretched. And another major challenge is that I am being pulled in several directions. I am the marketer that will go out to meet with sponsors and advertisers. I am the presenter of the show, who has to read my scripts and meet the guests. I am the executive producer. I have other responsibilities and I sit on other boards. So, really, the major challenge for me is managing my time effectively, to ensure that I am able to do what is right for all the different aspects of my life. I have two children. I have friends and I have other obligations, too. And I have to meet those obligations as well. So, I wish there were more than two hours in a day.

 

 

Q: The show has featured many notable personalities. Among these people, whose interview really knocked you off your feet?
A: Oh my God! I have been knocked off my feet by so many people. The very first interview that I did was the one with Professor Wole Soyinka. That man is amazing. It was the first recording I did. The recording had some faults, so it was never aired. I had to go back to him the second time to do another episode when he came to the studio. The first time I interviewed him, I had to go to Abeokuta. The second time, he came into the studio. And you know he is a very busy man. He was running late while he was coming to the studio. And to prove that he did not want to arrive late, he took an okada to the studio. It was one very defining moment for me. I felt honoured. Other amazing interviews that knocked me off my feet were those with Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola and former Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu of Lagos State. Also, the episode with Rio Ferdinand was a really good interview. The guy is so cool and down-to-earth. And then, I have done interviews with a lot of amazing women like Dr. Cecilia Ibru, Dr. Dora Akunyili, Yewande Zaccheaus and some others. And then the interview with Fela Durotoye was a fantastic one. Also, the story of Saheed Kekere-Ekun of Saheeto Small Chops knocked me off my feet. Saheeto used to be a bus conductor for crying out aloud! But look at him today. So, the show is to inspire you that whatever your beginnings are, you can truly become something in life. I have interviewed hundreds of people. Some of them are not known. For instance, I interviewed a woman, Mrs. Martins, who picks lunatics from the streets of Lagos. She has a calling to go out on the streets and pick up crazy people. We had had people who came on the show to tell the world that they are living with HIV. And a lot of these people living with HIV are happier than us that don’t have it! So, it makes you wonder if we are grateful to God for some of the things that He has done for us.

 

 

Q: Your most recent interview with General Ibrahim Babangida became topical when it was aired in January.
A: Obviously, my interview with General Ibrahim Babangida caused a lot of ripples. Everyone had an opinion on what was said and why it was said. The interview just became topical when it was aired. But, I hope that it achieved something. I had to go all the way to Minna to conduct that interview. I was obviously very nervous about the interview because it was such an important milestone in my career. I went with the entire crew. We were very well received when we got to Minna. The former President, his wife and members of their family were very hospitable to us. We had lunch and spent time in their home. The interview was done in a very relaxed environment. They made us feel very much at home.

 

 

Q: How naturally does inspiration for story ideas come to you?
A: You see, this Inspire Africa project is a calling, a God-given vision. I was very happy running my Vic Lawrence Associates, VLA. I was very happy being the Managing Director of my company. But this thing came so suddenly. It was as if someone just came and transported something into my brain. I cannot explain it in any other way. I didn’t plan it. And to be quite honest with you, I didn’t know where the vision came from. I can only call it a God-given vision. And it is not a vision to go and do Moments with Mo. Rather, it is a vision to go out there and be part of the change–be part of the movement that is going to change attitude and mindset within this continent. So, Inspire Africa is the vision. It is to inspire Africa. It is to tell African stories. It is to make us relevant in the world. You see, you cannot ignore the power of the media. So, when we started this journey, the very first thing we did was to build a studio and to equip it with the latest and the most up-to-date equipment. You see, we needed those tools to be effective, which is why we can produce our shows. The vision is God-given. I tell you, I have millions of ideas and I don’t know how to shut my brain off. I cannot even begin to implement all the ideas that I have. I can only just say it is God.

 

 

Q: Recently, you hosted a benefit concert to raise funds for Lagos’ street children. Were you impressed at how the event turned out?
A: I must admit that I was impressed. We thank God the concert turned out to be a huge success. It was supported heavily by the Lagos State government, UNICEF and Corporate Nigeria. Last November, when we turned one, we sat down and thought of how to celebrate the anniversary. We now decided to, as we coined it, ‘rock with a conscience’. We decided to set out a reason for the event. So, we registered a foundation, called The Inspire Africa Foundation, the human investment arm of Inspire Africa Ltd. The Inspire Africa Benefit Concert was conceived as a means of creating awareness. And it was organised as a fund raising event, to bring together the cream of the society and give them the opportunity to give back to street children in Lagos. Really, the work of the foundation is charity. In taking this one year journey, we have heard so many stories. And we cannot just turn our backs on what we have found to be consistent issues in our society. And we have come to realise that children and the youth is one area that needs a lot of attention.

 

 

Q: What are your next plans for Inspire Africa?
A: The next plan for Inspire Africa is to expand on some of the other vehicles of the project. Moments with Mo is one of the vehicles within the project. Moments with Mo is running along. It will continue to produce the programme. We will keep working on better contents, better research and better equipment. Each time we do a season, there must be change and improvement in what we do. We will then create and develop the other platforms. We will build equity in Inspire Africa Productions, which is basically to do drama, films and other television formats. Then, we will look at publishing. We will look at merchandising. We will gradually build it into the largest media company in this part of the world. And that is to live the dream and the vision, which is to make us relevant in the world. And you cannot be relevant without having a platform to tell your story. So, that is our story.

 

 

Q: How do you manage your gruelling work schedule and your role as a mother?
A: It is not easy, but I thank God for His grace. I am blessed with two wonderful children. I try to be there for them at all times. My daughter is 18 and she is in the university in the United Kingdom. I have a good relationship with her. And as for my son, he is supposed to be in the boarding school, but his school has the option of weekly boarding. And my son likes to come home. So, he is home literally every week. We manage ourselves. We pick him up. Sometimes, his dad picks him up and sometimes, I pick him up too. He spends time with me and he spends time with his dad. He goes out with his friends and he is happy. He is almost 13. So, he is cool. I am happy I have good and happy children.

 

 

Q: You have been dressed by some of the best designers in the country. Who among them is your favourite?
A: I have so many Nigerian designers who dress me for the show. The designers have been wonderful as well. I have been dressed by some of the best designers in Nigeria, from Deola Sagoe, Tiffany Amber, Odion Mimonet, Lanre Da Silva, Jewels by Lisa, Amede and so many others. Without them, I wouldn’t have the beautiful outfits that I have worn on the show. Also, my stylist, Ifeoma Williams, has been fantastic. These are people that have been there to ensure that this journey has been one of success.

 

 

 

 

 

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