Oluwateniolami Nwamaka Oyewole, popularly known as Miss Tennie or Miss T is a talent manager and entertainment consultant who has worked with most of the notable names and brands in the entertainment industry across Africa, includung DJs, artistes, influencers, content creators etc. She spoke to ROTIMI IGE on why she is decdicated to elevating African lifestyle creators on the global stage. Excerpts.
Tell us some of the people you have worked with and memorable experiences…
For talents, I’ve worked with so many. I mean, I’ve worked with 80 per cent of the creatives in Lagos. I can say that confidently. I’ve also worked with so many talents from Kenya, South Africa, Ghana and other places. I’ve nurtured, trained many of them. I mean, I’ve worked all over the world in the US, UK, Berlin, Germany, and so many other countries. But in terms of companies, I’ve worked with a lot of companies from Mikano to ITEL to Tecno to Mavin to Dapper Music to Onerpm to Universal Music.
I mean, major music distribution companies, also brands like Gino, Mavin etc. So many brands that I’ve worked with, especially in terms of brand strategy and influence of marketing.
What challenges have you faced in the Nigerian entertainment industry?
Of course, I’ve faced being called names because I’m a very firm person. If you know me very well, you know that my yes is yes and my no is no. I’m a person of integrity and I protect it with my life and of course, in a male-dominated space where people just want to work on vibes, people just want to do anything and get away with it, I’m also principled. So, I like things to be done properly. I like structure.
I like process. So, in my industry where many things runs on vibes, crews, and all of that, I take a firm stand on that and making things go through right.
Of course, one will be said to be difficult because I don’t give many people access to me. I’m termed proud and bossy. But I mean, it’s also part of the job. Those that know me, know me and know the truth and that’s what matters. But I also get a lot of advances from, I mean, people in the industry thinking that, oh, she’s just another girl that says no, but will later mean yes, maybe entice her with money and all of that, I mean, if you know me well, you know what I stand for and that’s very important to me.
Critics say it’s difficult working and managing some talents. Give us some insights to most of your difficult experience in managing talent.
Oh my God! This is the most difficult thing I’ve ever had to do in my life as a talent manager. Managing human beings that have a mind of their own, adults, different perspectives to life, different backgrounds and all of that is so, so crazy and difficult.
They want to do things their way. And as a manager, I see from outside the box, but the talents are in the box and they are limited by their imagination, their ideas, but it’s difficult working with them. Many challenges I face is directing them on what path to go, getting them to trust in my leadership, letting them to listen and understand that my plans for them are of good and not of evil because everybody stays talking in their ears to distract them because everybody thinks it’s always better on the other side.
So they get to the other side and realise that they were wrong and by that time, it’s too late to turn back or start again. I face challenges of having to groom talent from zero to 100. When they get the limelight, they leave my leadership or my company and they think it’s better on the other side. And so they just wasted my time, resources and efforts.
I mean, I get that a lot. I also see talents becoming rebellious because maybe I don’t allow them to do what they are not supposed to do. They become very rebellious and maybe start calling me names or trying to ruin my reputation and all of that.
These are some difficult experiences. Also for brands wanting to take advantage of talent and you having to explain to them how things work or with brands that are not even Gen Z inclined or social media inclined and have to explain to them the importance of social media or in their strategy as a company. It is quite difficult.
So, what solutions do you seek to implement in the entertainment industry.
I look forward to a time where the entertainment industry in Nigeria is sane. What I mean by sane, people that know what they are doing at the forefront of the industry leading and not just people that are popular because of numbers and empty heads.
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I look forward to a place, a time where people actually are comedians by actual funny content, not by sexualising people, or making children do things they’re not supposed to do in the name of comedy. I look forward to a system where talent managers are rewarded heavily because I think that talent managers are overlooked; where talent managers put in the work, put in the effort, but people just see either the artiste, the creative or the creator and don’t see that person that makes all these things come together. So, these are solutions to encourage them, to ensure that there’s sanity in the space, to put in structure.
I don’t want to say an organisation, but where people are motivated by the true passion of entertainment and not just money or numbers.
You seem to be a woman of many parts, with your own show, among other things you do in the entertainment space. How do you manage and merge all of this with your core focus of managing other talents?
I think for me, I’ve been able to understand balance. I’ve been able to put everything in segments. I have an amazing team that works with me, which I’m always, always grateful for. I have a super amazing business partner that always holds things down for me every time I get overwhelmed, or I need some form of access or funding or anything for my dreams, which makes it very beautiful. I mean, my team, shout out to them, amazing people. I do so many things. I wear so many hats. When it’s time to host my shows or my event, the team is on board. Every time I turn, I see them and they make the work work.
So, I’ve been able to build a team of amazing people and super helpful, talented and know what they’re doing. So, that just makes life easier for me now. So, now I’m more confident to wear many more hats because I have a team of people to always support and work with me.
What’s next for you?
Expand my agency, obviously, at DefEar’s Management. I want to onboard more talent, work on more television commercials. Just be that bridging line for international audiences coming to Africa and making sure that people’s dreams come to life. Also that I bring solutions to people’s problems and I’m just that go-to person.
Expect greatness from me in 2025. I mean, I’ve put in so much work in 2024 and I can’t wait for this work to start bringing forth good fruits in 2025. God help me and my team at DefEar’s.
Tell us about your yourself, memories and background…
I’m from a family of five with three siblings. I am the first child and only girl. I had a basic normal childhood. I remember I grew up in Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State. I was a very outspoken child and I still am. I was very outspoken, always in front in class. I used to top my class.
I used to be that go-to girl in school where if you want someone in the school choir, it was Tennie; cultural dance, Tennie; school news, etc. I was very involved in school. I am so grateful to my mother for also enabling me. I was just that brilliant girl in school that everybody wanted to be friends with, every teacher had great things to say, apart from, I mean, the stubborn parts, because I’ve always been a very determined child. I had a mind of my own, that’s what I remember.
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