Emma Ugolee…The gist master

In the entertainment circle, Emmanuel Ugolee is known as the gist master, owing to his talk-show, The Gist. He warmed his way into the hearts of many Nigeria youths, first as a guest alongside some friends in the university on the rested show, Just Gisting, a segment on the Life and Style Show that aired on Minaj Broadcast International (MBI) in 1999.

According to him, the management of MBI at the time wanted him to anchor the show. “So, I hosted the show once and they were impressed. I took over the show and removed it from Life and Style and made it a one-hour programme on its own in 2000 and early 2001.

For him, what started, as a 10-minute segment has grown to become a must-watch, as he fuses music, street talk, and celebrity talk as well as topical issues that concern the entertainment industry into the show.

He took a break and worked with the telecommunications company, Globacom for about 10 years, and anchored the ‘Glo Top Ten Countdown’, a musical programme. “After sometime, I heard people complain about things happening in the entertainment industry and I thought that I could do a programme where I will invite those in the industry to trash out issues that affect them openly, and that brought about The Gist,” Ugolee added.

Explaining further, the Enugu State University of Technology (ESUT) Economics and Lagos State University (LASU) MBA in Marketing graduate, said the programme is 100 percent entertainment from comedy, music, movies and other things that has to do with the industry.

He said, “Anything entertainment in Nigeria is the source of our information. We talk to people on the streets and get their views on the Nigerian entertainment industry and talk to people in the entertainment world. Since the show started, the reception has been awesome, and people love it because it helps them find out things about the entertainment industry. Even the entertainers feel relieved when they come out and talk on those issues.”

For Ugolee, the show, which is now in its second season and runs exclusively on Hip TV, on DSTV and GOTV platforms, is aimed at letting those that are concerned know what people are saying about them, react and make positive changes. “We enlighten people on how the business of entertainment runs. We are working to run the show on local TV stations,” he explained.

Despite his health condition, Ugolee is coping with work. “I do dialysis three times a week. It’s very challenging but I have been managing. You know, I work for myself at the moment; it has not been so easy but it is easier for me because I am not obligated to present at a particular time. I love my job and do a lot of my work myself. So, being a sole proprietor makes it quite easy. I am grateful for life and thanks to everyone who have loved and encouraged me in this journey.”

“I find out that my greatest attraction to people are plain, transparent and honesty but my strongest disdain in human is hypocrisy. When I’m with you and what you show me has no business with what you think puts me off.”

On his projection for the show, he says, “in a few years time, I hope that The Gist by God’s grace will become the hub for entertainment industry to trash nagging issues out. Apart from being a respected talk show in the country, it’s going to be an instrument of change in the entertainment industry.”