Obinna, a son of the late popular broadcaster and a former Group General Manager, Public Affairs Division, of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Dr. Levi Ajuonuma, tells ARUKAINO UMUKORO about his father
T ell us a bit about yourself?
My name is Obinna Levi Ajuonuma (Jnr.). I’m a Disc Jockey. So, I also go by the name, DJ Obi. I’m the first son of the late Dr. Levi Ajuonuma’s eight children. I studied media broadcasting at the Worcester State University in Massachusetts, US. I also attended the Connecticut School of Broadcasting, also in the US.
How much did your dad influence your career choice?
He was a big influence, not only career-wise, but generally, because he was a very spiritual man. He wasn’t ‘religious,’ many people use that term loosely nowadays. My siblings also did similar courses. One of my sisters runs her own public relations outfit, while another studied advertising, but she is more of an entrepreneur now. My immediate younger brother is skilled in video editing, photography and videography. I do more of the on-screen stuff. My other siblings are still studying in the university. Aside from the career influence, my dad was an all-round great guy that one just wanted to be like.
What was growing up like with your father?
In my younger days, my father was a big media personality, as he was on radio and television. Hence, it was very interesting going with him to television and radio stations, and meeting celebrities that were guests on his shows. It was fun meeting people that we only used to see on television or hear on the radio. And as kids, we also contributed to his shows. Sometimes, on the credits at the end of the Sunday Show, a programme on the Nigerian Television Authority, Lagos, one would see his name, plus our names on the ‘executive producers’ list, because we had given him trending issues to talk about on entertainment and so on. Also, we recorded recent musical videos for him to use on his shows. The relationship was fun, as well as a working one at some point. Watching my dad on these shows and seeing him do it so well helped me set my goals at an early age and made me want to be like him.
What are some of the values you learnt from him?
I learnt to be strong and put God first in everything. Dad taught us to be God-fearing in everything we do. He taught us to be disciplined and keep our word and to become trendsetters in one’s chosen career.
How does it feel to have a famous father?
People asked that a lot. But he was simply my father. He did a good job at separating work from family. So, he didn’t come home as Dr. Levi Ajuonuma of Open House Party (on RayPower FM) or Sunday Show (on NTA), he came home as daddy. And he created time for family, despite his busy schedules. It was a huge privilege for us to have him as our father because of his good name and works. It’s easy for me to go somewhere and drop my last name and people look at me with respect, without really knowing who I was. His shows were extra perks for us too.
How did he create time for his family?
Somehow, my dad found time to spend with us despite his busy schedules. He came home every weekend. Also, he travelled frequently to visit us when we were out of the country. Despite his busy schedules, he always kept in touch with us. He would always call, pray with us on the telephone, send us emails, and Skype with us; whatever technology it was, he would look for any means to stay in touch with his children. He always made us feel special.
How was his social life?
My dad wasn’t really a social person, which is funny, considering that he was in the broadcast media. My dad didn’t drink or smoke, he was not a party person. He was a very devout Christian. But he would be more social with you if he found you shared similar faith in God and it was a challenge to his. We went for a lot of church concerts, retreats, church programmes and visited some holy places in foreign lands. I remember going with him to international conferences and Sunday services at Joel Osteen’s church in the US.
Did you meet a lot of famous people through him?
Yes, I did. The most famous person I ever met through him was former US President George Bush (Jnr.). It was a surprise birthday present. My dad took me to see him after a conference in the US and we took pictures. Bush even cracked a joke with me when I told him it was my birthday. We met a lot of famous people in Nigeria and when we travelled outside the country.
How has his name opened doors for you?
It has opened many doors for me and brought a lot of respect. I remember going to the dentist once. I had just registered for the first time in that clinic and after writing my name, the dentist saw it and asked, “You’re Ajuonoma’s son?” I replied, “Yes,” and I got a discount. His name brings us a lot of goodwill in many places we go to.
Was he a very private person?
Yes, he was an extremely private person. I used to fondly describe him as an Italian mob boss, because he kept his family very private, which is something I appreciate more now.
Who are some of your dad’s closest friends?
I don’t really know. He did not keep many people in his inner circle. Due to his nature of job, my dad knew a lot of people, and a lot of people knew him, but he was a very private person. He was also very friendly and humble.
Why did Fran Kuboye anchor his Sunday Show at a time?
It was when his schedules became very tight. It was in-between his move from the NTA to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Abuja. And when he couldn’t juggle the two anymore, he had to let go of one. From being on Morning Ride, he started the Sunday Show in the early 90s. He was first a guest host and then became a regular and the Sunday Show became his show. Through the years, he also anchored television shows like Gulder World of Entertainment, Insurance Today, and so on. At one point, he had six shows running on NTA throughout the week. On radio, he started and anchored the Open House Party on RayPower Fm.
Why did he name the radio show Open House Party?
Open House Party was a concept he got while he was studying in the US and decided that it would work in Nigeria. The concept was like having that party-like and relaxed atmosphere in everyone’s house, through the radio, with Dr. Levi Ajuonoma. He brought in a lot of new artistes and others, like The Remedies, Junior and Pretty, and so on. Ali Baba, and other comedians, also came on the show to crack jokes. His shows gave a number of artistes their first breakthroughs in mainstream media.
How did he discipline his children whenever they erred?
He would give us a verbal lashing, but he did not spare the rod when it was necessary. He punished us adequately. We had a good, Christian upbringing.
What were his likes and dislikes?
He liked honesty. He didn’t like people telling lies, he liked people being straightforward and keeping their word. He was an ‘action man,’ maybe because his dad and his elder brother were in the military. He used to be called 10-10 in his younger days. He liked everything done on time, with no excuses. He liked praying, swimming and music. Once, he surprised us by playing the guitar and singing. He liked sports. Later, he developed a flair for photography. He loved taking pictures.
What was his daily routine like?
The first thing my father did whenever he woke up was to spend about an hour, depending on his schedule, for morning devotion with the family. He was very prayerful. Then, he would plan his day, and if there was time, he would have breakfast and head to the office. He always came back home late because of his job schedules. My dad believed the 24 hours in a day must be used judiciously. Hence, he robbed himself of a lot of sleep to get work done. He travelled a lot too. Whenever he got back from work or from one of his trips, he loved to spend time with the family.
Did he talk about coming back into the broadcast media after his spell at the NNPC?
Yes, he did. He planned to set up his own television station when he retired from the NNPC. But, he never really left the media. He sometimes did editing work for some video documentaries, or voice-overs for commercials, and so on.
How did he react whenever he was angry?
Because of his Christian background, he knew how to curb his anger. He made sure that he didn’t say anything that he did not mean whenever he was angry. He would simply tell you the truth, what you did wrong and how disappointed he was. He never really yelled or shouted, but he always ensured he passed the right message of correction through his words.
How was his relationship with your mum?
They had a great and strong relationship. She is currently in the US.
How did you cope with the news of his death in the Dana plane crash in 2012?
It was difficult. When it happened, I was in the US and on my way to church. Somehow instinct kicked in and something just told me to call my dad. I usually called after a church service. But while I was in church, my phone started ringing; my Twitter timeline was full of tweets about a plane crash in Lagos. And for some weird reason, when that crash happened, something pricked me and I called his line, but it kept going into voicemail. During the service, I went to my car and sat down, and kept calling his telephone line. Then, someone tweeted, “Please, check on DJ Obi and make sure he’s okay.” That got me thinking. I didn’t understand what was going on. My sisters were in Nigeria at that time. So, I called them on the telephone, but they told me not to worry, that they were still looking for my dad; and they simply said they would call me back. Unknowingly for me then, my family was trying to buffer the situation by not giving me the exact details. I didn’t finish the service, I just drove straight home. I kept calling his line but his phone kept going into voicemail and saying ‘the number was switched off.’ When I got home, I did a quick check online, and when the news of the whole thing started piecing together; I lost it and started crying. It felt like I was losing my mind, I tried to stay clam at the same time, especially when the initial news claimed there were survivors. Later on, I called one of my cousins who was very close to my dad, he told me that my dad was on the plane that crashed but they hadn’t confirmed if he survived. When I heard he was on the plane, I started making travel plans to come back to Nigeria, whether it was confirmed that he survived or not. At the same time, my family was also making travel plans for me to come back. That was when I figured out the worst had happened. On the flight back to Lagos, I was a wreck. While in transit in London, I kept crying so much that people were looking at me like, “What’s wrong with this guy?” It was very difficult coming back to Nigeria to see how everything was being handled. It was a tough time, but we thank God that at the end of the day, I can sit down now and actually talk about it.
How has your family been coping since his death?
When something like that happens, one doesn’t know how one would survive it. My dad was the pillar of the family and held us close together. When he died, it was like, “What’s going to happen now?” But, thank God that He has brought us this far; we stuck with the principles and the things that we learnt from my dad, about putting God first, praying and working hard.
What was the last conversation you had with your father?
I had just graduated from the university then; hence, our conversation centred on the next steps for me to take in the future. Then, I had introduced him to a lady at that point and we talked about her for a while. He advised me and told me he accepted her. Usually, we always had this father-son bonding time; I would visit Abuja just to spend time with him. We were planning on having one of those visits when the plane crash cut everything short.
Did any of your siblings or your mum have any encounter with him just before he got on that flight?
Yes, he had spoken to my sisters and my mum about his coming to Lagos. Hence, it was kind of harder for them because they had just heard his voice a while back.
How old was your dad?
He was 52 years old.
Did he have any premonition about his last days?
I can’t tell if he had any premonition, but according to what I heard, he was sceptical about the trip and kept praying about it. It was like a last minute decision to go on that flight bound for Lagos. According to his security guard, he kept walking around, praying. He prayed a lot that day. Then, he sat down and had a meal. He always had this routine where he would eat fish with his security guards. Apparently, there was this kind of fish they all liked and he would ask them to buy it sometimes whenever he came back from work. So, he sent one of them to buy that particular fish. While they were eating, they could sense he was troubled by something. But I’m sure he didn’t know what he was troubled about. He wasn’t supposed to go to Lagos that day, but he needed to see the family, moreso, he had worked in Abuja that weekend. Apparently, he bought someone’s ticket at the airport, someone that wasn’t going to get on the flight. Normally, he bought business class, but whoever he bought that ticket from was on economy. He just wanted to see his family. But, it’s comforting to know that he died being a strong Christian. He prayed all of the time. I used to joke with my friends that if my dad were not a television personality or wasn’t working with the NNPC, he would have been a pastor. Sometimes, our family devotion lasted for about two hours. We did everything, from praise and worship, and so on. The only thing missing was ‘offering.’ At a point, he wanted us to form the Ajuonoma choir (laughs).
What was his favourite meal?
My dad ate ‘everything’ as long as it was edible (laughs). But he liked eating ‘solids’ a lot, with any good soup.
What was his favourite drink?
He liked freshly squeezed juice.
What are some of your fondest memories of him?
Growing up with him, being in the studios with him and watching him anchor/produce his shows, and going on trips with him. He always cracked jokes and made us laugh. He always knew how to share his knowledge with us and help us resolve our differences as siblings. He had a saying with us whenever my siblings and I had a misunderstanding, he would say, “Take it down one thousand,” and we would all laugh, no matter how angry one was. It was a line from the US sitcom, A Different World.
What do you miss most about your father?
I really just miss him being here, knowing he was around. He gave us a lot of advice, and 99.9 per cent of the time, he was right. We always knew we could call daddy for advice on issues. He almost knew everything and had the right answers. One always had that sense of security knowing he was there for us. He was a problem solver and no matter what one faced, he took care of it.
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