Encomium
Mursty Adinoyi is the presenter and producer of TV entertainment programme, Hitlist N Cruzin who has carved a niche for himself in the entertainment industry using the Africa Independent Television as his stepping stone. In an interview with ENCOMIUM Weekly, Mursty Adinoyi explains why he is taking the popular television programme to radio, his challenges and much more.
What is new about Hitlist n’ Cruzin?
The latest is that Hitlist N Cruzin now has its own radio studio and we want to start having Hitlist N Cruzin on radio as well. So, apart from you watching us on your TV, you’re still going to be listening to a programme called Hitlist N Cruzin on your radio.
Is it that you’re going to be doing the same thing you do on TV on radio?
Hitlist N Cruzin is about entertainment, celebrating Nigerians, and what we’ll be doing on radio won’t be different from what we do on TV. But the only difference will be that on TV we take people out, buy things for them. But on radio, it’s not going to be like that. Although on radio, you are going to have the latest, hottest, freshest music from Nigeria and abroad, entertainment gist that you cannot get anywhere else, so much that we cannot have on TV.
Why the choice of radio this time?
As a young man, you have dreams and aspirations, and when you achieve one, you want to do more. Those I look up to, I have the likes of Kenny Ogungbe, he has a 24-hour channel on Daarsat. The owner of Soundcity, Tajudeen Adepetu, has a 24-hour channel as well on DStv and a TV station. Ayo Animashaun too has Hip TV 24 hours on DStv as well and Kwame too on StarTimes. Don’t forget that these guys started before me. So, we’re looking at the steps they took and we are taking time to know which way to go so as not to fall. Also, I understand that the best way not to fall is to keep on moving, and to keep moving, you have to keep diversifying and expanding. I have people working with me and anytime I look at them, something tells me that I have to step up because if I fail, and by the grace of God I won’t, I’m not failing alone. Others will go with me, and the only way not to fall is to keep diversifying and expanding. And when you look at expansion, radio should be part of our expansion and entertainment production company. And God willing, if we have the opportunity tomorrow, to run 24 hours on any platform, we are ready for it. So, those are the expansion plans. And the only thing is to keep on getting better, so that people with you as well will have something to take home at the end of every month. If you’re creating opportunity for others, the best way you can get better is to keep expanding.
Which one is more challenging, TV or radio production?
Nothing comes easy. So, I would say both are very challenging. TV production has its own peculiar challenges, likewise radio. But to me, I always see challenges as stepping stones, because if it’s a smooth ride, then it won’t be interesting. So those things that make it hard, they are the things that make you stronger. So those challenges will definitely come and the best you can do is to get over them.
What has being on the platform of Hitlist N Cruzin fetched you?
Hitlist N Cruzin has opened my horizon. It has made me see that life is about giving. That we take people on a shopping cruise, buy things for them and take them back home, we’re giving. And I think to myself, if all of us can be giving, this country will be the best in the world. Your giving to someone does not mean you’re better than the person. One profound thing that has happened to me was when I took an Igbo guy on a cruise and after the cruise, the guy called me from Asia, introduced himself and asked me to name the gift I wanted. Surprisingly, he bought me a camera worth N300,000 when I only spent N20,000 for his cruise. So, it makes you know that your giving does not make you better than the person you’re giving to. And that experience was so profound to me that till tomorrow, it keeps me going.
What or who inspired Hitlist N Cruzin?
I can’t stop thanking Chief (Mrs.) Tosin Dokpesi for inspiring me to think out of the box to generate this idea. About seven to eight years ago, I was a staff of AIT Lagos and was transferred to Abuja. The production department had a meeting with Chief Tosin and she told us to come up with ideas for a unique TV programme as her husband, High Chief Raymond Dokpesi, was ready to assist young people like us by giving us air time for unique TV programmes. I began to think, and I came up with a programme, Get Cooking, which she loved. But I didn’t stop my thinking with Get Cooking’s success. I kept thinking, and when I came up with Hitlist N Cruzin, I realised it was so unique that I had to reserve it for myself and that I had to bring it to Lagos because it’s an entertainment programme, so I came back to Lagos.
How do you feel about Hitlist N Cruzin’s success as one of the hottest entertainment programmes in the country?
I thank God that it’s very successful, but I’m not yet satisfied with its current success level. We have targets for it and until we attain them all, I won’t be satisfied. I want to use it to celebrate Nigerians worldwide, that’s my first target, and there are many more plans still.
