Mich the ‘talkaholic’

DR RONNIE ‘MICH’ EGWANG has cut himself as the smooth-talking and witty Tusker Project Fame co-host with a gentleman’s mien. Mich is also an ace businessman, veterinary doctor and a doting father. He spoke to PETER MUIRURI

DR RONNIE ‘MICH’ EGWANG

He is the eccentric but easygoing co-host of Tusker Project Fame, a job he has held for the last three seasons. He has the gentleman’s mien and a romantic flair, making him a darling of many. His intermittent ‘friendly fire’ with judge Ian Mbugua always acts as a show-stopper.

Meet Dr Ronnie ‘Mich’s Egwang, the man who wanted to be a practising gynaecologist had life’s path not taken him to a different field.

 “I had the feeling that being a gynaecologist was a flashy and stylish career. However, I opted to pursue veterinary medicine at Makerere University, being inspired by my father who is a scientist,” says Mich when I catch up with him at a Nairobi hotel.

His confidence on air and broader viewpoint on issues can only be attributed to a rich exposure from his father’s assignments abroad. Mich spent the first three years of elementary schooling in Canada where his father was doing a Masters degree.

He would later on study in Ohio and California in the US between 1983 to 1987. His father would thereafter be transferred to Gabon, West Africa, giving Mich an opportunity to polish his French.

Back in Uganda, Mich was enrolled in Namilyango Secondary School, the highest rated and oldest school in Uganda, for Senior One to Six where he became a proficient rugby player.

“We had the best rugby team in Uganda. Our school was nicknamed ‘the graveyard’ due to the many sports’ careers of rival teams that would be extinguished in our school,” he recalls humourously.

Mich, a man with a nose for smelling a business opportunity from afar started showbiz life as a first year student at Makerere University.

His first video shop set up in 1996 in Makerere’s Lumumba Hall was a big hit with the student fraternity, raking in at least 200 dollars (approximately Sh16,000) a week.

“All I did was to see a need for entertainment that existed within the campus and went ahead to fulfill it. I am a real African who believes in doing something for himself rather than become a bother to others,” says Mich.

By the second year, the business had grown to include three video libraries with hired staff running the show on his behalf. Sadly, the business venture had a bad ending when the dean decided to close it in 1997. Undeterred, Mich went on to open a food delivery business in the same campus a year later.

Meteoric rise 

“As a young man in campus, I was not so prudent in managing the proceeds from my business. Apart from my handwritten accounting notes, I have nothing else to show for all my efforts,” laments Mich.

Exit campus businesses and in comes radio and TV, with his first experience on air coming in 1998 through a TV kids quiz show, after which he did several stints being a radio show host, doing a mix of both secular and gospel music. Mich was now on a meteoric rise to the entertainment world, thanks to his good use of the power of the tongue.

In 1999, the ever-enterprising Mich opened Eclipse, a marketing and event management company in Uganda. Over the years, his company has handled major corporate events among them the launch of Qatar Airways in Uganda. In addition, he has been contracted to host the Rwandese Community in Uganda. The gala nights that are attended by, among others, Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame.

His vibrant career as an MC has seen him host over 1,500 events in the continent. Some of these include the Deal or No Deal show in South Africa that was patterned after the American programme with the same name. The sky to him, is the limit and he would be glad to host the American Oscars or Grammy Awards if called upon to do so.

“I am a ‘talkaholic’. My mother says that I never cried as a child, but the moment I opened my mouth, I have never shut up,” he quips.

 It is this ability to hold the attention of a large audience that landed him into Tusker Project Fame (TPF) as a co-host.

His experience with the TPF show in Kenya is among the highlights of his career as a show host.

“TPF is a show that unifies millions across East Africa. The organisers were looking for someone who is flexible as well as a face that those millions can identify with. I believe I have brought such a personality and flavour to the show,” says Mich.

For one to succeed in such a show, Mich advices anyone willing to take on such a heavy responsibility to be real saying that Kenya and Africa at large now have a dynamic and educated audience. According to Mich, such a person must be willing to handle criticism in a dignified manner, regardless of how it comes.

Sensitive audience 

“You see, people are now on so many electronic social networks such as Tweeter and Facebook where feedback on your stage performance is instantaneous. One slight mishap on air and you set off a flurry of responses from the masses. These are not the days when such feedback came from a contracted company that would take weeks to compile,” warns Mich.

Mich adds one must also exercise caution and avoid saying something that may offend the audience or the participants.

He says: “You are as good as your last show hence the need to approach the task like any other business. I may appear to be an easy guy, but keeping people glued to a show is no laughing matter.”

To that end, Mich watches every single show afterwards for a review to see areas where he could improve or how he can be more creative.

 I could not resist asking him about his regular, so called ‘friendly spats’ with Judge Ian.

Beef with Ian

With a light touch he says: “It sometimes saddens me to see good careers being broken on stage. I am usually the fire extinguisher that softens the scorching flames from the judges. I think Judge Ian needs to hang out with me more often to learn some mildness.”

TPF aside, Mich still practises his veterinary medicine where he has a small number of clients, mostly dog owners, besides concentrating on his marketing and entertainment stable.

With such a busy schedule, Mich flies to Kenya from Uganda every Saturday morning to prepare for the TPF evening show and flies back on Monday morning after the Sunday show, a routine he will do until the show ends.