Once one is destined for the top, even if Satan blocks all the openings to ensure that God's wish does not come to pass, Satan won’t know when the Holy Spirit will suddenly put it to sleep, for God's wish to sail through, fast. This depicts the scenario when the current Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Premier Records, Ltd, Michael Odiong, lost his parents at such tender age. But by divine arrangement, his elder brother immediately stepped in to fill the vacuum created by loss of his parents, by providing the innocent child with all the necessary psychological succor he needed to forge ahead bravely with confidence to enable the young Odiong fulfill God’s purpose for his life. All these were unfolded recently in his palatial FESTAC office complex in Lagos when our Contributing Editor, IFECHI OKOH, paid him a courtesy visit which yielded this sizzling close up. The interaction coursed through the story of his childhood days and fantasy, models, romance with showbiz to his current position as the General Manager of Premier records. It is simply an extensive interactive which actually threw-up the CEO like never before. Just settle down and gulp it down in real relaxed mood.

Can we meet you formally, please?

My name is Michael Odiong, the General Manager/CEO of Premier Records Ltd, Nigeria’s foremost indigenous record company (formally known as Polygram Records). I have been in the music business for 20 years and 19 of those years at the management level. I have a certificate in Copyright from Harvard Law School and an alumni of London School of Public Relations and many other professional certificates and educational qualifications. I have a passion for the music industry and I am contributing in my own little way to make sure the industry gets to its potential. I am presently the General Manager of Premier Records Limited and Premier Music Publishing Company Limited. I am married with two children.

What was your childhood fantasy and why?

My childhood fantasy has always been to succeed in life. I grew up the hard way as an orphan at a tender age, but thanks to my elder brother who taught me the way to survive and be successful. I remain grateful to him because he supported me to achieve my dreams and taught me to be hard working. Anyone who does not have success as a fantasy will become a poor person. Our fantasies fuel our beliefs and push us to work hard and have faith that we will fulfill that fantasy one day.

Who was or were your childhood model or models and why did you choose him or them?

I have always loved entertainment and started acting at a tender age. When I was about 6 years old, I used to mimic newscasters on NTA 7 pm news belt where the news was translated in the 3 major languages. I was the entertainer of the house and always made the family laugh hard every evening. When I got into secondary school, my passion for acting continued and I acted in so many school plays. After school, I went into professional dancing and acting. Two people were my role models, Richard Mofe Damijo in acting and Dr. Shola Fosudo in dancing. I have admired RMD since Checkmate days and constantly wished to act alongside him. Dr. Fosudo gave me my breakthrough in dance by believing in a rookie like me way back in 1993.

Would you say you have realized your potential in life?

If it has to do with me reaching my full potential in life, then I will say I am still far away from my goals. I am still working towards the bigger picture which is to serve my people the best way I can.

Did your romance with showbiz start when you are on the Premier Music label or before then but only ballooned in Premier?

Like I said earlier, I have been in the entertainment space since childhood and got introduced into the music business by a friend and brother, Mista Xto, who owns a record label in Calabar. My passion for what I do made me to be discovered in Calabar and brought to Lagos. I started working at Premier Records Ltd in 2008 and ever since, the passion to take the company to greater heights has continued to propel me in all I do. Consistency and hard work always come with a reward.

Can we say coming on board Premier music label has been a veritable route for you to execute the noble ideas you have as someone cut out for successful career in showbusiness?

Entertainment is about creativity, the ability to express one’s self and achieve such creativity. Premier Records has helped in no small way in putting me on the pedestal in the music business industry. I have acquired more knowledge, more connections and leadership ability as a successful record label executive. So yes, Premier Records has helped to shape me by allowing me express my ideas and execute some of them. I remain grateful to my late MD, Mr. Toju Ejueyitchie, who believed in me and gave me the opportunity to think out loud.

Since you sat on the hot seat of Premier Music as their C.E.O what have been the socio-economic challenges staring you and how far have you been able cut them to size?

Since assuming office as the General Manager, we have had the normal challenges of the change in business structure in the music business. Physical sales are almost non-existent, technology has taken over the business. As the head of the company, one has to be open to creativity and innovation. The younger labels are making a kill on monthly basis because they have works that are viral and attracting serious streaming numbers. Streaming and Music Publishing are where the real earnings are and we are working very hard to bite a chunk of this pie. It’s not easy but we are coming.

It is on good source that Premier Records label, since it was found and has transformed over the years from Phillips Records West Africa Limited, Polygram and much later to Premier Records, has been the birth place of Nigeria's front seat highlifers, in fact, 80 per cent of them like Jim Rex Lawson, Chief Inyang Henshaw, Celestine Ukwu, Chief Osita Osadebe, Dr Victor Olaiya, Sir Victor Uwaifor were clients of the record company?

Yes, that is true. Premier Records, from the days of Phillips (West Africa) Records, has been the home of highlife in Nigeria and West Africa. As you know, Nigerians like dominating in anything they lay their hands on. Highlife was not originally from Nigeria, it was created in Ghana but Nigerian musicians came and added spice to it and made it more danceable and that was how Nigeria became the power house of Highlife. Premier controlled most of the greatest highlife hits from the 60s to the early 90s.

What is Premier music doing currently to immortalize them?

We are still working out modalities for this. But the best immortalization is making sure that the estate of the departed continues to benefit from what has been created by the artistes. We continually pay royalties to artistes (both dead and alive) whose works are selling. That is the best legacy for their families.

Are these late and celebrated highlifers still getting their royalties till tomorrow despite the discouraging economic atmosphere?

Yes they are, those whose works still sell. We are working on rejuvenating so many of the old works so more artistes can earn royalties.

Are planning of organising annual international highlife music festival in partnership with multi-national beer manufacturing companies in your bid to bring back our cultural music?

We are looking at that. As you know, there is already an annual highlife music festival going on but not from us.

Any plan to scout for talented children or relatives of these late doyens who would be encouraged to continue from where these greats stopped?

Sure. We will soon start that process.

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