I’ve been a Femi Oke fan from the moment I first clapped eyes on her anchoring the weather on CNN. In 2005 I wrote
a story about how wicked she is and since then I've enjoyed following what she gets up to.
Besides still doing the weather she's also the host of CNN's Inside Africa - which is on Saturdays at 18h30 - our time. The show features stories about current things happening on the continent and recently Femi interviewed
Survivors Dr Gareth.
After I saw this I decided that because we’d both dirtily sniffed his muscles in the flesh it was the perfect time to get in touch with her to 'share'. DStv and CNN made it happen within two shakes of a lambs tail I found myself happily hooking up with her:
Tashi: Thanks for chatting to TVSA. I've been a huge fan of yours from the first moment I saw you a couple of years ago so it's super to say hello. Until I caught your groovy and always informative weather coverage I'd never been interested in the weather but you literally re-invented it for me, to the extent of making the weather the highlight of every CNN news show. Even when someone else is anchoring, I always think of you!
Femi: If I could blush, I'd be bright red by now, thanks for the compliment!
Tashi: How did it happen that you began your CNN TV career by anchoring the weather specifically?
Femi: CNN placed a full page advent in a UK broadcasting magazine looking for weather correspondents. I sent off my tape and C.V. then a few weeks later while I was watching EastEnders I got a call from the CNN Center. I was invited for an interview in Atlanta in April 1999, the following day I was offered the job of international weather anchor.
Tashi: Why do you have such passion for the weather?
Femi: I'm British and we're obsessed with the weather on account of being able to enjoy at least six different types of weather in a single day!
Tashi: You began your broadcast career in radio when you were 14, so you've always known you wanted to be a reporter. What three words best describe your philosophy when it comes to sharing a story?
Femi: Enthusiasm, honesty, passion.
Tashi: Before joining CNN you presented Top of the Pops (TOTP) for the BBC. When was this exactly and which muso/group wowed you most at the time?
Femi: I presented TOTP in the early nineties. I grew up watching the show and dancing in front of the television with the TOTP dancers when I was a toddler, so I couldn't quite believe it when I was picked to be a presenter.
My favorite moment on the set was backstage watching Joe Cocker sing live in rehearsals. He did that classic Joe Cocker scream and I thought his lungs were going to leap out his chest.
My least favorite moment was watching Cher who had a number three hit at the time. She appeared not to have learnt the words to her song, she demanded that the rehearsal room be cleared, read her song off a little monitor and then turned up very late for the show.
Tashi: As the host of Inside Africa, are you also involved in compiling the content of the show? How does the show decide on its stories?
Femi: Absolutely I'm involved, especially as I've worked on the show since it first came on the air. I started off as a reporter, then became a fill-in host before finally taking over as full time host in 2005. One of my CNN anchor colleagues commented recently on how I always managed to get to go on fascinating assignments.
The secret I told him is to pick the stories yourself and then you never find yourself filing a dull report. When it comes to deciding on what goes in the show it varies from what's topical, what's making news and sometimes just topics the team think are interesting or particularly relevant to Africa.
Tashi: What impact does your Nigerian heritage have on your relationship with the show?
Femi: Even though I grew up in London my parents raised me like an African child so I did chores, studied like education was going out of fashion and let's just say my parents didn't believe in sparring the rod! So I have a deep understanding of what it means to be African and this certainly helps with getting the tone and context right with the stories we air on Inside Africa. I'm proud to have Nigerian heritage and it's certainly helpful on the show because it's a rare day when Nigeria doesn't make the news.
Tashi: What's your all-time favourite place in Africa and why?
Femi: Mmh, now that's a hard one because I LOVE being in Africa. It's such a throbbing, vibrant continent that it's impossible for me to pick just one country so here's a list. Of course Nigeria is special because that's where my family is from. Uganda is beautiful and I've just been working in Kenya for a week and I have to go back as there's so much to see.
South Africa is like a second home to me as my best friend lives here and the best cruise I ever took was down the Nile stopping off to see some of the stunning ancient monuments in Egypt.
Ghanaians were so welcoming they made me feel like I was a long lost cousin and Liberia is one of my favorite countries to report from as every time I go back I can see change happening. So I think you get the idea that I just love being on the continent.
Tashi: What's the most memorable story you've ever covered?
Femi: The Liberian Elections of 2005. It was an unusual combination of being a huge African story that was a positive one too.
Tashi: You recently got up close and personal with Dr Gareth Archers Tjasink for an
Inside Africa report on combating disease in Africa. You were understandably keen on a private consultation with his torso - what impression did he make on you and how long did it take you to recover after the interview?
Femi: Ha! I got so many comments about that interview and CNN have been playing highlights of Gareth's chest for weeks now. I wasn't too sure what to expect after seeing all the half naked photographs of Gareth on the internet.
When I met him at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in Soweto, I was so impressed and not by his looks, but by his sincerity and passion for medicine. He really wants to use his fame as a platform to help South Africans understand their health better. His colleagues and patients obviously love him and I came away from the interview thinking that he has brains, great looks and a warm personality.
Tashi: What's your favorite TV show? (Besides news and actuality shows)
Femi: The Daily Show with John Stewart because the writing is so brilliant. Larry Sanders re-runs as it's one of the funniest and truthful portrayals of television and the auditions of American Idol. I know I shouldn't laugh at the afflicted, but this is the best part of Idol.
Tashi: Tell us more about you. What do you do to chill out?
Femi: I love Yoga. We have a class at the CNN Centre Gym and I'm always the one who falls asleep at the end of the session. The rest of the class tip toe out and leave me lying on the floor snoozing...you can't get more chilled out than that!
Tashi: What makes you chuckle hysterically?
Femi: Spending time with my youngest sister or my best friend. We always seem to end up in the most bizarre situations resulting in us cackling like a pair of crazy witches.
Tashi: What's the forecast for the next five years for you?
Femi: Long term forecasts are notoriously unpredictable but if I had to make one I'm leaning towards high pressure, fair skies and a sunny outlook.
Ends-----
For more about Inside Africa, visit their website:
Inside Africa.