Growing up I was always told I’d make a good lawyer because I like to talk/argue a lot. I guess my family thought this was an important characteristic to acquire to be a good lawyer. That thought didn’t stick with me though. In 10th grade I made the decision that I wanted to use that skill to become an OAP – Ada

The one very obvious thing about Nigerians is the fact that we are swift in associating ourselves with any successful person with a Nigerian roots anywhere in the world. Can the team Anthony Joshua stand up? (Laughs). Don’t blame us, we sharp at that. But I think we can do a better job by connecting with these folks early and not when they reach their El Dorado. Sometimes, we might have lost them to other countries before we stood up to be counted.

With the access to social media, the world is shrinking into a small global village. It’s providing us easy access to identify one another and support in terms of shining spotlight on all the great jobs our fellow Nigerians (in any form) are trying to achieve; and maybe by so doing, we will build the best coalition of leaders that will takeover government and guarantee us a better future. From the Oceania, Central America, Eastern Europe, Middle East, Asia or the Caribbean regions, the numbers of Nigerian descent doing great works in those countries are enormous. We know we are everywhere. lol.

One of those Nigerian by roots contributing massively to radio and television broadcasting in Toronto Canada is the multitalented Ada Onianwah a.k.a Ada OHH. She’s an OAP at VIBE 105.5 FM, Toronto’s Best Urban Music Radio station, and also, she doubles as a presenter and program producer at FEVA TV, Canada’s first Black Entertainment Television Network, owned by her father, Robert Onianwah. Ada who has her roots from Delta Igbo; loves her job to the fault. She’s one of the most respected new generation broadcasters in Canada right about now.

Hooking up with her on social media was an interesting experience. Hardly have I met a lady so hardworking, uber-creative and still yet, ready to learn and also down to earth. I will make this assertion about her all year because I know so many OAP divas in this industry with less than a fragment of the knowledge Ada possesses. Her expertise cut across photography, editing, television and radio program production. Join all of that to her presentation skills; there you have a queen of broadcasting. There’s just so much about her that will make one proud.

In detail, talk about you (family, growing up, schooling…) and how
broadcasting started?

My name is Ada Onianwah but they call me Ada OHH. Ada Ohh came about
because I wanted to use the sound of the first letter in my surname “O”,
it’s just a short form of my name really. I grew up in an upper-middle class
family, born in Vancouver, British Columbia, raised in the Greater Toronto
area. Throughout my childhood – teenage years I played many sports, this is
where I adopted my competitiveness and disciplined attitude. I’ve always
strived to be the best in everything I did, in sport, school, creativity,
etc. I played every sport, started off as a gymnast then, soccer, swimming,
basketball, cheerleading, track and field, I even did provincial
trampoline. I did everything, literally. I graduated from high school with
many horary awards, Vice Principles award given to me by my Vice Principle,
Co-Op award, I don’t really know what that meant at the time but I
appreciated the scholarship money lol.

My interest for broadcasting started I believe in 10th grade. I didn’t know
what I wanted to do with my life in regards to career choices and for some
reason at that time I felt this urge to figure out what I’m doing for the
rest of my life. I knew I wasn’t going to have any “traditional” career, I
wasn’t going to be a Doctor, Engineer, or any other stereotypical
profession immigrant parents want for their children. I knew I wanted to be
happy in my profession for the rest of my life and I wanted to have fun in
whatever I was doing.

I begged my parents to get me a DSLR camera, when they bought me one; I started taking pictures of everything

Growing up I was always told I’d make a good lawyer because I like to talk/argue a lot. I guess my family thought this was an important characteristic to acquire to be a good lawyer. That thought didn’t stick with me though. In 10th grade I made the decision that I wanted to use that skill to become an OAP and get into the media industry. It first started with photography. I begged my parents to get me a DSLR camera, when they bought me one; I started taking pictures of everything.

This evolved into shooting videos. I enrolled in the Communications
Technology course offered at my high school and became the executive
producer of my HS web series until I graduated. This experience broke me
into all the roles it takes to create a production. I became well rounded
in directing, producing, audio, editing, lighting, etc. I wore many hats as
a producer and learned a lot while doing so.

I applied to Ryerson University, downtown Toronto, for the Radio and
Television Arts Program in my final year of high school. The program is
known for being the best in the country and competes with the top media
production programs in the world. After the extensive and lengthy
auditioning/application process, I spent the next 4 years in Ryerson. I’m
currently finishing my degree and expected to graduate in the spring of
2019.

Talk about your experiences thus far in the profession, the highlight
and lows. Also, your dream targets

I started off radio when I was 16. I got an internship through my high
school at a local radio station; at the time it was called CHRY 105.5 FM.
The station was a community-based station that had a variety of
programming. My internship extended into the summer where I met my DJ partner who I originally started the show with at the time, DJ Hotshot. Hotshot was starting a show at the time called ‘On The Rise’, a show
focused on highlighting emerging hip-hop artist from the city. Hotshot
said he was looking for a co-host and at the time I was very deep in hip-hop culture so it was a perfect match.

In 2015 the station went through an entire rebranding phase. It was no
longer the CHRY and there was no more ‘On The Rise’, everyone lost his or her shows. By the beginning of 2016 I was back on air with a new station called VIBE 105.5 FM, Toronto’s Best Urban Music. It was #me, Hotshot, and Apollo P. Hotshot eventually left us and then there were two, me and Apollo hosting the ‘A-Team’ every Friday 6-8 PM.

In conjunction with my radio career, my Father, Robert Onianwah, formed Canada’s first Black Entertainment Television Network, FEVA TV. I quickly found myself very busy achieving my media career goals in both radio and television. Within FEVA, I wear many hats as well. Being the first and largest of its kind in Canada, I’ve learned a lot about the media landscape in Canada. They’ve never seen anything like us before (a black owned network) which I look at as an asset because there was opportunity for us to really dominate in a niche market, which we’ve achieved. FEVA TV is available 24hrs nation wide and has expended to 12 islands in the Caribbean with additional expansion in the US and UK expected by 2019.

In conjunction with my radio career, my Father, Robert Onianwah, formed Canada’s first Black Entertainment Television Network, FEVA TV. I quickly found myself very busy achieving my media career goals in both radio and television

FEVA TV is the first of its kind in Canada with diverse programming such as music shows, drama series, documentaries, Nollywood movies, and much more from all over the African diaspora. Both Radio and Television has created amazing opportunities to experience the best within the media industry. Whether it me being on the red carpet for the Toronto International Film Festival with the top A-list celebrities in Hollywood, or flying to New York for the annual One Africa Music Festival and witnessing history of all the best artist Africa has to offer. I am fully committed to being one of the most well known personalities internationally from Nigerian decent.

Talk about what your radio show is all about? You can also talk about the most interesting interviews or conversations you have had.

I think the hardest thing that I’ve had to overcome being in this industry
was interviews. I use to be terrible at interviews. I would just be very
awkward, or not say much at all. I overcame this by figuring out that I
need to be more personable. I need to not look at the people I interview as
intimidating and look at them as equals, as in we are both here trying to
achieve the same goal aren’t we?

The A-Team is an interactive/variety hip-hop show. We highlight the best
hip-hop music from the city and across boarders. We talk news hits, pop
culture, we have our specialty segments like ‘What’s The Report?’ and ‘Battle of The Sexes’. It’s a two-hour show, so there’s a lot of music to cover and conversation to be had. My co-host Apollo is a very brash, matter-a-fact type of guy who is heavily imbedded in hip-hop culture. I take on more of the neighbourhood sweetheart personality that is very vocal on cultural issues.

Can you talk about any other person with Nigerian roots in the broadcasting industry in Canada?

I don’t know anyone else that is Nigerian on Radio within Canada.
I do admire Julie Adenuga from Beats 1 radio in the UK. I love what she’s
doing on the international scale. As well as many other OAP’s in Naija from major radio stations that are doing their thing. I’m still creating my story but I know a part of my end goal is to bridge Nigeria, Africa, and the diaspora to the rest of the world in music, television, and film.

Words By Sesan Adeniji