You don’t have to be rich to have a style – Ehiz

Ehizojie Okoeguale popularly known as Ehiz or Dada Boy as he is fondly called came into limelight after clinching the keenly contested grand prize of the MTV Base VJ search in 2013. Since then, Ehiz keeps upping his game as the day goes by as he now dines with the high and mighty in the African continent’s entertainment industry. The Lead City alumnus is the last of fve children, from Edo State, Nigeria, but was born and bred in Lagos, Nigeria’s business hub and entertainment center. In this chat with MUTIAT ALLI, Ehiz speaks about life as a VJ on the MTV platform, what is next for him as the search for a new VJ commences among other sundry issues. Enjoy…

How has the journey of being a VJ been for you?
It’s good, amazing and above all, what I can say is its God’s blessing. The experience is so huge that I can’t really fnd the right word to quantify it. All I have to say is that I will work more. The MTV base team entirely has been a family point for me. I have equally enjoyed every moment there.

The MTV Base team will be running another VJ search, are you happy about it?
Sure am very happy, the best part of it is another VJ is giving a n o t h e r person an opportunity, so is not about me been happy or been sad. I’m not the only one VJ on the channel. I’m happy that somebody else can come and see what life is all a b o u t , because a lot of y o u n g p e o p l e right now w a n t to fast track things. I have my own story which come a long way, so I want somebody else come to see that this thing is not moi moi oh, you actually have to do the work, because young people right now want to get rich on Monday. They want to work on Monday and want to get rich on Monday, am super excited, I can’t wait basically.

The next VJ’s is coming out, don’t you think personally you are only a gamer, don’t you feel envious that you might not be in the in the spot light?
No, not at all. I don’t want to see it that way. In South Africa, we have six win moves to the music, six ways just put you on the platform and now you are bigger brother and you can actually do things for yourself. To me, it is a chance open for another person to discover what I discovered. There is no hatred, am ready and am happy. Somebody to takeover on what have been doing for the past three years; am very happy. Not been the regular VJ that I am used to does not make me feel bad because the MTV base family now has a new show tagged ‘Ridiculousness Africa’ which I will be part of and other shows. I am still very much around.

You sounded a bit aggressive when someone asked about your constant appearance on stage and musical videos?
They just keep saying this thing as if have been in 30 videos. I have just been in 5 videos for crying out loud.

But you were a bit aggressive when the questions was asked?
Because the journalist in question wrote something about me. I like him because he’s doing his job but how many videos have I been in? A couple of people have been in every single video, like I said I got the juice; it’s not my fault if you see me in videos and you can’t stop talking. Well, I like it and you can’t expect me to stop anytime soon. And it will get bigger and better. In the next video, I might be kissing Tiwa Savage you can never really know, so watch out.

Are you actually dreaming on having a kiss one of these days on set? Yes of course, I will kiss all of them, all Nigerian artistes in music videos, I will be a love interest. They just seems to be love interested music artistes. If there is a role for me to kiss an artiste especially the female ones, I will be willingly to do that. ‘Ridiculousness show’ is huge, what else did you have to put on the table that is different from what you have there? First and foremost, we are going to make it Africa, because obviously their own is American. So we are going to make it African, we are going to make it solid. It will definitely be funny; Myself, Thomas, Uti, the three of us we are going to do the show together. It’s going to be amazing and we are going to make it bigger than you have ever seen. To me, it is like a battle between Lip sync, Baron and Ridiculousness, because I think they have a good show but not as good as ours, so I think we have to fight them for ratings, we will be great. If you have seen Ridiculousness, you will know it is funny, and we have a lot of videos online to morn, so it will be a good experience, I can’t actually wait.

In your conversation, you said your mom was the first to see the advert of the VJ search season you won, so how did she feel?
Mum is at home enjoying life, probably not doing anything, you know women they are always doing something. My mum is at home happy probably recorded all my shows on PVR. My mum is my biggest fan.

As a host of the Dance with Peter show, you showed skills in singing; is Ehiz looking at going into music?
I can sing what they can sing, I can do a D’Banj song and I can kill it, but me sitting down and write a song, I don’t think so. I can lip sync on songs but not as a career.

Having such a busy schedule juggling from events to shows, how do you spend your free time?
When I have free time, I sleep even though I don’t get to sleep a lot, I just sleep and eat and if I am not doing any of the two, then I’m working. With this kind of our job, sometimes you feel you are free but unconsciously you are still working.

What’s fashion and style to you?
I’m not a fashionista, but I believe it’s anything you have in your wardrobe, “nah wetin I get I dey wear”. Style on the other hand is your swag. Whatever makes you comfortable and confident is your style; you don’t have to be rich to have a style.