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Popular MC, M.C Selense Speaks On His Career
When you talk about anchoring events in Nigeria, MC Selense is one name to recognise. He has being anchoring events for the past 30 years, recently a very popular musician Abbey Awesome held final burial for mum, and we noticed the presence of MC Selense was the official MC of the event. City People Video Editor Salisu Nurudeen noticed he had been seeing him with Abbey Awesome for over 20 events now. Here is what he told us.
A lot of people know you as MC Selense, tell us your real name?
Well, my real name is Amoo Isiaka Gbolagade, popularly known as MC Selense.
How many years have you been an MC?
I have been in this industry for 30 years, right from my childhood.
What drove you to this work?
What drove me back then was that Gbenga Adeboye was my role model, I’ve always admired his works, that why i made up my mind to be an MC, due to the Inspiration i received from him, that’s why i decided to go into it fully.
When you were in School, were you practising the role of an MC?
During my school period, those people that went to Oniwaya High School, Agege can testify to it that’s 92,93 sets can testify to it. So most of them now are glad to see me in this industry, because before i became popular i was always doing this during my primary school, I was one of those student that was very vocal, and made people laugh
Can you remember the event that brought you to the limelight?
I have a lot of event that I can’t recollect, all I know is the ones that gave me limelight are those artist that knows me, and they know my ability like Abiodun Aweshola, Seyi Micheal, Ice Lonely, Soul Winner, Dare Melody, Shina Oluga and so many others, i can’t mention them all, they already know that with this guy, if they have event they will be okay, because I know the pains that comes with event, i don’t waste time.
I know when to come in with jokes, when to elongate it, and when not to, there are times when you just have to make whatever you do brief in order to make that event amazing.
How did your parent react when you told them your job?
I did not just go into it like that, I have some personal jobs that i have done before, but I didn’t have rest of mind until i got to this job, that’s what makes me think that is what God has ordained me to be.
I once worked as a clearing agent, I have done site supervisor before, so many jobs, until i got to this job, but during that time I didn’t leave this my MC job, it’s just that i did it as a part time, and by the time I went into it fully I saw that there was sweetness in it.
We noticed that, in every event you’re performing, Abbey Awesome will also sing, is there a collaboration between you two?
The only relationship there is that I’m the official MC for Abbey Awesome, and there are times when most MC in event, don’t know what to do at the right time, i might keep quiet, but most time I do support them to make things ok, some times when you call Abbey Awesome for your events, he’ll tell the client to use me as MC. And if i must appreciate someone, i will like to say a very big thank you to my darling brother Abiodun Awoshola, he happens to be my brother in this industry, we are close, we are the same blood, everything, we are together, that’s why everybody see us together time to time.
I have been together right from when he was still into vocal with Segun Blessings. He is my younger brother in the neighborhood. Our parents are both from Ekiti State, which made us very close.
This year alone how may parties have you anchored?
Wow, back to back is how I have been working, I don’t have any week that i sit at home because I have people that use to sublet, and I have planners that use to give me job, because they know once they give me, i will cover it, I don’t disappoint, i will rather say the truth, I don’t collect 2 to 3 jobs that is more than me, once you tell me you want to see me, it’s me you will see, and if i have someone that has paid me ahead, and you tell me you want to see me i will tell you it’s not possible. Unless the client that pay first release me. Even if someone gives me 50kobo, and he is the first to book me for an event, I will go there, so that’s what makes people have trust in me.
Tell us who you learnt from?
The person i learnt from, my boss is Yemi Shonde, he allow me to perform all the wonders in me, and special thanks to one of my brothers who is more or less a musician and broadcaster Optimo Shina Oluga. Those times when i just started, if there were places where I made mistakes, he’d correct me, and he was like a cousin to my boss. Then late Abiodun Oropo, I am also very grateful to him , he was one of the boss that made all my dreams come through, there is nothing I can become today without mentioning the both of them, with the other once I mentioned Yemi Shonde, Abiodun Oropo, Shina Oluga, those three happen to be my senior brother, so they are the major people God used . Also, there was one of my bosses when I was in Nigeria Police band, and he was also someone that the Lord used for me when I was there. I was the one then that usually anchor Nigeria Police band, second military Combo, then, SupuTajuren Ayoniyi, he also tried a lot for me.
All the names I have mentioned, I can’t write my biography and not write anything about them, so they are the main the main, SupuTajuren then made me understand that when we go for events before I was known, when people book police band, they must book me as an MC too. So that’s the path I took to get to where I am today. The collective brain that I gathered from all the places I have gone to is what singles me out, My behaviour and acting are different.
I noticed something , when I go to events, among all the MC that’s usually come early, you are one of them. What makes it so?
I learnt this from Nigeria Police band because we would have report to the college by 7, 7:30, we would be there when they are arranging the canopies, setting up the hall, so it has made me know that punctuality is the principle of business. That’s is why if I have work at a particular time, I will be around that environment before that time, and If one goes early to an event it has its own advantage, but any MC that you see that is late for an event there will be a lot of pressure on him or her. Going early helps me to arrange myself better and makes me know who is who, it makes me know where to go about things, at times some events usually have a lot inside, there are a lot of crisis between the families at times, so if you get to the event early You will know how to balance it, you will know how to use your discretion as an MC in order to make the event a success.
What’s your advice to those who aspire to become an MC like you?
My advice is that endurance leads to success, there is no one that did this job that did not do it free before, because if you just stay at home with your wife and family nobody will know you, you have to move out, you have to go out and establish your talent, to let people know that you can do this.
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