By Osagie Alonge
Radio personality Dan Foster has joined Lagos based radio station City FM 105.1. This move comes weeks after leaving Inspiration FM 92.3, where he worked for about four years.
NET exclusively gathers that the radio OAP began talks with City FM’s management shortly after his exit from Inspiration.
‘Yes it’s true, I’m at the City now. It’s sure going to be fun working here. We’ve got big plans already’, the US-born radio presenter says.
The radio station is yet to make an official announcement about hiring Foster. We are told the ‘Top Dawg’ is still settling in, but will go on air pretty soon.
Dan Foster relocated to Nigeria in 2000 where he joined Cool FM, working there for nine years. His exit in 2009 was somewhat controversial; weeks after leaving the Victoria Island based station, Foster got in trouble with the Nigerian Immigration Service who reportedly tried deporting him over an alleged over-stay in the country. He was however allowed stay in Nigeria.
While at Cool FM, Dan Foster dated a young lady Deola Olunloyo and was close to marrying her but controversially called off the wedding a month to the ceremony.
He also controversially dated Linda Ikeji with the relationship ending in a public mess.
In 2008, Foster got married to his girlfriend of one year, Lovina. They are blessed with three children. The radio personality however has a child from a previous marriage.
In 2009, he joined Erastus Akingbola’s Inspiration FM and became the highest paid OAP, receiving a salary of N1.6m per month. Foster added marketing and management to his new role.
It is still uncertain what the terms of his deal with city is but sources say he is already being given top priority. ‘They set up an office for him, he just resumed last week and spirits are high already’, an insider told NET
Dan Foster in a yet-to-be published interview with NET admits that he became more spiritual at Inspiration FM with the ‘Top Dawg’ moniker dying, making him a more religious person.
City FM recently rebranded and moved offices from Billings Way, Oregun to Agidingbi, Ikeja, Lagos mainland. They currently field OAPs such as Oscar, Smmallzz and JLuv.
City FM will now hope to build its audience base with the addition of Foster, who retains a huge following despite his star having dimmed in recent years. If the move succeeds, the station will rapidly grow in ranking, with pundits saying they could move into a top five position by Q1 2015.
‘There’s a big opportunity for them‘, a media expert tells NET. ‘Most of the popular stations seem stuck and bereft of fresh ideas. And instead of innovating, most of them are expanding and moving into TV. So if City gets its strategy right, they may be able to pull a good one’.
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