I got into Solid FM Enugu as a freelance marketer, became a hugely popular presenter, but my goal is to become a teacher

My name is Christiana (Christy) Ozioma (Ozy) Ejiofor and I will be thirty-seven years old on 28 March 2022.

I attended St Paul's Primary School, Jos, from 1990 to 1996. For my secondary education, I first attended Demonstration Secondary School, Jos, and finished in 2002 at Tempest Comprehensive School, also in Jos, before relocating to Eastern Nigeria.

Growing up in Jos, Plateau State, where my soldier-dad, a native of Nawfija (also spelt Nọfịja) in Orumba South Local Government Area of Anambra State, worked in the Transport Section of the Nigerian Army, I longed to speak better Igbo as spoken by my mum’s people of Ufuma in Orumba North Local Government, I just loved the Igbo spoken in that axis. I was determined to learn it, which is one of the reasons I moved to the East.

While in Jos, and exposed to a lot of movies, I dreamt of being a theatre artist. But it was not one of the courses being offered at the Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) where I sought admission. At some point, I thought of going to read law and political science at the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN), knowing that being smart, a little bit, either discipline would give me some leverage although I did not like politics. I could not get into UNN with what I scored in JAMB (Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination) – 219, three points short of the cut-off mark.  

I tried this and that, but I could not get the admission. An uncle who had promised to help me secure a form for the supplementary admission did not. I left Nsukka in tears.

Frustrated, I returned to Jos where my mum had remained even as my dad had already moved to the East, Nawfija, precisely.

My loving and kind Aunt Nkechi whom I was staying with in Enugu asked me to come back home. I did and went and read for a diploma in mass communication at the Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT). I bagged it in 2002/2003, with an upper credit and a Cumulative Grade Point Average of 3.55, with the hope of going to do a degree in the course via Direct Entry. 

One thing about my aunty was that she was a “Born-Again” Christian who did not believe that a woman should be wearing trousers. However, while living in Jos, I took to the wearing of trousers because of the cold climate. It became my fashion style. My aunt allowed me to continue wearing my trousers. Trousers ease my movements.

After my diploma, I decided it was time to start my life on my own terms, so I rented an apartment on Savage Crescent Enugu. 

I got into ESUT to continue with mass communication, but ESUT was denied accreditation. There I was, frustrated again. In fact, pained, because I believed that mass communication was the nearest thing to theatre. 

But I had to move on. 

So, I switched over to marketing. I bagged a B Sc in marketing in 2009 in the Second Class (Lower Division).

Sadly, my dad died on 1 May 2008.

In 2010, I trained for computer proficiency in data processing, desktop publishing and presentation.

I had my one-year National Youth Service in Nasarawa State from 5 July 2011 to 4 July 2012. My primary assignment was at the Nasarawa Local Government.

On getting back to Enugu after national service, I found that a new development had taken place on my street: a radio station had come into the neighbourhood. Wow. Its name Solid 100.9 FM. Just a few buildings away from where I lived at No. 22. 

Sometime in August, I found a notice at their gate announcing vacancies for marketers. I applied. In fact, I did not enter the building; I merely dropped my application and CV at the gate house. 

After a week or two, I was invited for an interview. I told my interviewers that I knew the terrain and would deliver. I was hired as an independent marketer to earn a ten-thousand-naira monthly stipend and twenty per cent commissions on the commercials I brought in, and I did bring in solid money to the station. I have had happy and sad times in pursuit of the commercials. Of course, the happy times are when you go for certain ads and you get them, like during those early days when I got the business of Onitsha South Local Government Area. A sad episode I cannot forget was when I drove about three hours to Aba and I was prevented from seeing the company’s owner because I was wearing trousers. Can you believe that? When I was eventually allowed to see the owner’s son, he commissioned me to do a jingle for them which eventually was not accepted much less used, even as I spent my money producing it.

Now, Kenneth Obiora Amaechi, known by listeners more as Ogbuoja Ndigbo. my direct boss at Solid FM, kept asking me to join him in bantering on his independently-produced Igbo-language programme, Ijele – and coincidentally they call me Ijele at home. I do not know why he chose me. Maybe he just liked my personality and felt that I was sound enough to co-present with him. 

I watched him talking for more than a year, and when I agreed to co-present with him, I spent another year listening to him. It was like I was doing boi-boi (apprenticeship) under him. I think that helped us in becoming a good tag team.

Meanwhile, I did not realise that the then Manager (Programmes), Sammy Ajufo, better known as Super Sam, was monitoring me. He observed that I co-presented the show well, and on the day Ogbuoja got me to speak English on the programme, Super Sam was pleasantly surprised at my “polished” spoken English and he was convinced that I could run my own programme. He went on to propose at a general meeting that I should be given a programme slot. There was, of course, some opposition. Super Sam stood his ground saying that I was articulate and would hold my own. 

That was how, in 2015, I developed a one-hour phone-in programme, Ogeudo run on Fridays between 5pm and 6pm – and it flew. Yes, it flew, with people from all walks of life listening and phoning in.  I did peaceful resolution on radio for various families who had disputes. I was able to mediate amongst fourteen divorced couples and brought them back together to continue to live in peace. The day a reunited couple from Benue State came to the station to appreciate me, they brought plenty of yams, enough to go round everyone in the station. Others from Kogi, Cross River and Delta States came too. 

I took the programme to YouTube and later Facebook and the reach (has been phenomenal). 

During the 2015 political season, Super Sam did a morning political programme called Let’s Go 2015, and he said that I should do a similar thing in the evening but in Igbo. Another programme, Kaobanye na kaopuo, was also created for me. 

Our former General Manager, Dr Pat Ndu, once told me how shocked she was when she attended a burial in Achi, Oji River area and one mentally challenged person asked her if she came with me, and if she did not, she should go back. You know what? That incident caused the management to increase my salary. That same month, she went to another event and again it was all about me. Again, I had a salary increase. I had three salary increases in three months. Not only was I placed on a salary that was proportionate with other presenters’, I was also made a full-time staff. The GM certainly did not want me to leave the station. I told her I would work until she was tired of me. She herself has retired but I enjoy the peace I have here. Besides I am still doing my marketing although my percentage commission has been reduced from twenty to ten because I am now on the staff.

I have Super Sam to thank for discovering that I had a gift of presentation. I was content with chasing advertisement and making money for the station. 

But, you see, my sight is set on becoming a university lecturer or a classroom teacher. Until that happens, I would not consider myself fulfilled. While reading marketing, I realised that I am more analytical; that people understood me better when I explained things. I realised that I did not have to stress too much to pass on information. Some people say that I do not meander around with words. That led me to start thinking along the line of teaching. To build my CV, I decided in 2017 to go for a post-graduate diploma in education at the Enugu State College of Education (Technical). I had my one-year teaching practice at Government Secondary School, Enugu. I taught marketing to Senior Secondary One students. When I completed the practice, the principal did not want to let me go. In 2019, I obtained an M Sc degree in marketing from ESUT, although I had completed it in 2017. It was also part of my decision that I would not leave Solid FM without having a master’s degree. In between, on 22 May 2016, my beloved mum died, 

I have done radio for nine years. Perhaps when I have done ten years and I am able to get into teaching, I would take time out from radio or have a programme on radio which would not come in the way of my teaching. 

I, however, have fulfilment in one area of my life.

At the age of thirty-two, I began to have issues with fibroids. When I turned thirty-four, I began to think of adopting a child, especially as no suitor was looking my way. On second thoughts, I decided, after consultations with my doctor, that I could try and get pregnant. I shared my decision with my close family members except my eldest brother who loved me to the hilt and would probably have said, “Ozy, you are too beautiful, don’t go there, instead let me get my friend to marry you.” I had their approval. 

Then I looked for a good guy and found one who was happy with my arrangement. Uchenna had had a bitter experience with woman but not with me. We dated for about one year and three months and knew that he was my kind of man, in case we decided to marry, and that he would be a responsible father.  I took in, travelled abroad, came back, and boom, he wanted the child more than me, the owner. (Long laughter). I also took a break from work.

Jidenna, our lovely son, is going to be two years by 22 July 2022. He has been showered with love and gifts by friends, family and my numerous listeners from home and abroad. He is an amazing gift. When he enters school, then I can, God willing, go for my Ph D. In marketing.