By Dayo Showemimo
Osikhena Dirisu is an award winning on air personality with top urban radio station Beat FM. Blessed with a captivating voice, spontaneous wits and hilarious vibes on air, Osi has in the last 3 years gained huge followership on radio and ranks amongst the top OAPs in Lagos at the moment. Currently on vacation in the United States, Osi began his career as a rookie broadcaster at Rhythm FM Benin City before, moving to Lagos to take his career a notch higher.
He spoke to NET on his early beginning and rise in the broadcast industry.
Let’s talk about your Journey into broadcasting?
It all Started in 2008 while I was in the University of Benin, Rhythm 93.7 opened a new station in Benin, I went for the open auditions and I got picked, and for 2years I was the lead host for the flagship Saturday morning show branded ‘Soul’d out’. After my graduation in 2010 I was posted to Lagos and I did my youth service at Rhythm 93.7Fm Lagos. In November 2011 I started working at the Beat 99.9Fm and I have being there for the past 3 years, so for me radio has always being something I had always wanted to do, because I have always loved music, so I listened to my heart and followed my passion.
What has kept you going?
The Grace of God, the industry I work in is very fickle, especially with the Artiste-OAP interface. But asides that I do my work exceptionally, I always make sure I’m better than the last time I was on air, and in 3 years I have moved from the overnight show to co hosting the biggest morning show in the region, and that says a lot as regards the quality of my craft.
How Challenging has it been?
Radio takes a lot of work, and it’s draining physically and mentally. I enjoy what I do and I give it my all, though many times, especially at the beginning when no radio station wanted to hire me, I thought of leaving broadcasting many times to do something else, but something always holds me back. When I got to Beat FM I gained cult followership amongst young people and in the midst of all that craziness I started to lose the essence of my being, but I had to pull it together and focus on the job and not trying to keep up with the celebrity lifestyle.
What was your childhood like?
My folks were well to do, my dad retired as a director in the Federal ministry of science and technology, so basically we had everything we ever wanted, we attended the best schools around, and got an opportunity to be whoever we wanted to be, and my mum on the other hand is presently an assistant director at the Nigerian institute of international affairs, which is under the purview of the presidency, not forgetting her PhD. So my family was education oriented with strong moral and family values. As regards hustling, I did that on my own terms in the course of trying to find out who I really was.
How would you react to gists that you are proud?
Well people often judge people before meeting them, but I’m down to earth and like I would always say I really don’t see myself as being famous. I’m not proud or saucy, I just have a great job I love and I tend to express myself in a lot of ways without apology. I love fishing and jet skiing, I go to the movies a lot by myself and I love to sleep, I’m a boring guy (smiles).
