The 2025 edition of the Wale Olomu Memorial Awards and Roundtable (WOMA-R) opened its two-weekend programme on Saturday, 13 December, with a candid and reflective discussion on “The Impact of Entertainment Reporting on Musical Careers: Our View.” Broadcast live on TopRadio 90.9 FM, the Roundtable convened artistes, journalists and media executives to examine how reporting, perception and narrative-building continue to shape careers within Nigeria’s entertainment industry.
Ara, flanked by Tokunboh Ojekunle and FAJ
Moderated by media veterans and WOMA Steering Committee members, Tokunbo Ojekunle and Femi Akintunde-Johnson, the conversation revealed rare alignment across the media-artiste divide. Multi-award-winning singer and media executive Wunmi Obe drew on her experience on both sides of the fence, observing that “he that controls the media, controls the mind,” while stressing that entertainers often play a role in granting that power. “The media can make or mar an entertainer, but the entertainer can also give the media the right to do so. Collaboration is key,” she said.
Afro-soul singer Kayefi Osha echoed the sentiment, warning that credibility once lost is difficult to recover. “The media can make or mar one’s career for life,” she noted, adding that silence can be costly: “If you do not tell your story, others will tell it for you – and it may not be accurate.”
Speaking from the perspective of a globally recognised performer, Aralola Olamuyiwa (Ara) highlighted the heightened vulnerability of creatives in the digital age. “It is so easy for one’s career to go down in this digital era. How you are reported determines how your career goes,” she said, dismissing gender bias as secondary to artistic substance. “Gender does not impact perception; artistry does.”
Broadcaster and digital media specialist Jimi Akinniyi pointed to the tension between reportage and reputation, noting that “artistes want to control the narratives about themselves,” even as journalists grapple with public expectations and industry pressures. Cultural writer and strategist Jide Taiwo, and media owner, Olumide Iyanda reaffirmed the journalist’s obligation to fairness, regardless of personal relationships or industry pressures. Taiwo stated: “As journalists, it is our duty to cover fairly – not based on friendship, but on responsibility.”-
The 2025 WOMA panellists
The discussion also touched on interview preparedness, media literacy and lifestyle choices, with the consensus that misinformation, sensationalism and poorly managed narratives remain among the biggest threats to artistic longevity. Together, the exchanges reinforced the enduring relevance of entertainment journalism as both a career catalyst and a cultural custodian.
The Roundtable set an introspective tone for WOMA 2025, themed “Unsung Legends Who Shaped Today’s Glory.” Attention now turns to Saturday, 20 December, when the Wale Olomu Memorial Awards ceremony will honour three Lifetime Achievement recipients and five Special Recognition awardees for their lasting contributions to Nigeria’s entertainment industry. The ceremony will also air live on TopRadio 90.9 FM, continuing WOMA’s mission of preserving legacy, recognising excellence, and amplifying the often-uncelebrated architects of Nigeria’s cultural evolution.
Esi-Ife Arogundade