Let’s be open to new ideas

Host of Late Night Celebrity Show, Giovanni Caleb, wants players of the Ghanaian entertainment industry to identify and pick useful and positive lessons from foreign entertainment rather than view them as a threat.

That way, he believes Ghanaians stand to gain useful insights into the more advanced industries to help in the development of the local enterprise.

“We as an industry are not ready to explore or find new ways of doing it right. We see every foreign culture as competition, we see every external thing that is foreign as a threat to us and we don’t want to learn from it.

“The world is becoming -- if not already -- a global village and we need to get to the stage where we can appreciate other cultures, learn what we can and discard the rest,” he said.

Giovanni Caleb, real name Caleb Adjomah, admitted that the entertainment industry in Ghana was still in its infancy and there was still a lot to learn.

“It’s still a growing industry but I feel it’s not consistent. We are not focused, we are not united and there are many unfortunate things happening which are not helping,” he said in an interview with Showbiz.

Currently the Programmes Manager of YFM, Giovanni disclosed that life as a radio and television show host came by accident, after his dream of becoming a pilot in the Ghana Air Force did not materialise.

Twice, he was turned down at the final stage of the selection process for enrolment into the Officers Cadet Programme of the Air Force, and as a result, he turned his sights to the University of Ghana, Legon where he studied Psychology and Linguistics.

But stints as a volunteer on campus-based station, Radio Universe, would later open a new career in broadcasting for the young man.

“I was in Level 200 when I started with Radio Universe. After school, I was called by Global Media Alliance to work with them at YFM, first as a National Service person, then I gradually rose through the ranks. Now I do everything from production to on-air DJ,” he stated.

Throughout his five-year working life with YFM, Giovanni has also earned a reputation as a “super-sub,” thanks to his willingness and ability to stand-in and take charge of shows whenever any of the regular hosts was not at post.

As the programmes manager of YFM, he is desirous to give opportunities to the youth.

“I want to impact a lot of people because I believe I represent the young generation of people who are engaging so well in media because they were given an opportunity to shine. I want to create an equal opportunity for others to shine as well”.

“I know people who just woke up one day and simply walked into an office and demanded to speak to someone in authority and that landed them jobs. It does not happen often but I feel sometimes you just have to get tired of waiting for your day to come and just move straight ahead,” he said.

Giovanni describes his transition from radio to television, where he hosts the Late Night Celebrity Show as a challenging but smooth transition, thanks to his ability to make the guests who appear on his show feel at ease.

“It’s been a very smooth ride. I totally enjoy being on the show and I enjoy my interactions with every guest who comes on the show and thanks to my experience on radio, I am able to relate to all the people I host on TV.”

Giovanni, who describes himself as “a responsible 27-year-old man with the experience of a 40-year-old veteran”, admits he is in a committed relationship and has a passion for working out at the gym, practicing taekwondo and playing FIFA in his spare time.