MUSIC OF NIGERIA
Bola Sonola The Man with the Magical Dulcet Voice on Radio
W
henever you are in Lagos Nigeria and want to get away from all the loud music you hear on other radio stations and need a calming effect, there is a voice that comes to mind that does that. His name is Bola Sonola aka The Genie. He started his radio career at Radio Plateau 2 now Peace FM in the city of Jos in Plateau State where you will find a few tourist attractions like the Shere Hill, Assop Waterfalls, Rayfield Holiday Resort, Pandam Games Reserve and the Jos Wildlife Park. An old friend who was an actor and sadly no more with us, the late MacArthur Fom (Nosa of “Behind The Clouds”) a popular TV series at the time in 1989 convinced him to go into radio believing he had the voice for radio. Though at the time he was majoring in film production. After the audition he as amongst 13 people selected from over 3000 applicants who turned up for the audition. “I remember seeing the crowd of people who came for the audition and told Arthur that I didn’t stand a chance but he urged me on to do it and I did.” “I was the last name announced on the radio station to report to the station and I was lucky No 13.” “How did you get the name The Genie?” “I was meant to attend the first meeting of presenters but got their late and was looking for where the meeting was held.” “On opening a door after two or 54
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three earlier, I poked my head in the room to see if a meeting was going on and there was.” “The Programs Director then goes.” ”Here he is popping in like a genie out of a bottle.” ‘’And so that was how everyone started calling me the genie out of the bottle, and then eventually The Genie.” He became a household name in no time as one of the pioneering radio presenters of the station and it marked the beginning of his career as a radio host. After the death of his friend McArthur Fom he left for London hoping to continue his career as a radio host but hit many road blocks. It was a different terrain in London but was able to do some stints with one of the community radio stations called Klymaxx FM presenting a Jazz show and at the same time www.cometonigeria.com
