Sandra Ezekwesili
Sandra Ezekwesili | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Sandra at Cool FM Praise Jam, 2015 | |
| Alma mater | Enugu State University of Science and Technology |
| Occupation | Broadcast Journalist / Media Personality |
| Years active | 2009 - present |
| Known for | Hosting Cool FM, Port Harcourt's Breakfast show Good Morning Nigeria on Cool FM, Port Harcourt, and Nigeria Info, Lagos's drive time show, "Hard Facts". |
| Website | sandrasezekwesili |
Sandra Sopuluchukwu Ezekwesili is a Nigerian Broadcast Journalist, and Media Personality. She currently hosts the drive time News and Current Affairs radio show, "Hard Facts" on Nigeria Info 99.3FM in Lagos, Nigeria.
Early Life and Career
Born in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, Sandra is one of three children, and the only female child of Late Chief Stanley (snr) and Mrs Ngozi Ezekwesili.[1]
From Nara-Unateze, Nkanu-East Local Government Area, Nigeria, Sandra spent the first seven years of her life in Enugu where she received a nursery and primary education from NAOWA Nursery and Primary School Enugu. She moved with her family to join her father in Port Harcourt, Nigeria in 1997.
She was introduced to broadcasting early, in her third year of primary school by her class teacher, Mr Promise, who was her school's Director of Studies and a retired radio broadcaster. He took a shine to her and started teaching her the tools of the trade like proper diction, gravitas during news reading and how to read a script.[2]
Despite this experience, Sandra planned to be a lawyer, mostly due to familial pressure, and only took up a course in Mass Communication when she didn't get a place on the law program at her University. Eventually, she fell in love with it.[2]
While at University, there was a long lecturer's strike and she found herself with a lot of free time. She decided to use this time to intern at the Enugu State Broadcasting Service (ESBS) where she was soon thrust into the limelight as a presenter. It went so well that when school resumed the Head of Station at ESBS asked her to come back after she got her degree.[3]
After graduating from Enugu State University of Science and Technology with a degree in Mass Communication, she worked for Katsina State TV in Northern Nigeria, before moving back south to work for Radio Bayelsa and Ray Power FM Yenogoa.
Cool FM
Sandra came to the attention of Cool FM Port Harcourt when she recorded an audition tape on her smartphone.[4] She was invited to audition properly and was hired in March 2013.
She quickly became a popular on-air personality winning or being nominated for a variety of awards in her first year at Cool FM. These include the Female On-Air Personality of the Year in August 2014 by Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo.[5] She was also given an award by the Stefano Piotti Foundation in 2015.[6]
Nigeria Info
In November 2018, Sandra moved from Cool FM Port Harcourt to a sister station in Lagos, Nigeria Info 99.3FM, a news and current affairs talk radio station. She became the host of "Hard Facts", the station's evening drive time (3pm to 7pm) talk program. This show is currently rated No 5 in that time slot.
Other Activities
Sandra is an accomplished events host and compere. She has hosted many local and corporate events in Port Harcourt including Praise Jam, an annual Gospel and Christmas Concert held in Port Harcourt. She is also a Public Speaker and gave a TedxYouth talk in 2014.[7]
Following the sexual assault of one of the participants while she slept by another participant on Big Brother Nigeria, Sandra has become a fierce advocate for Consent Education in Nigeria and a growing voice against sexual harassment[8]
References
- ^ "Coolfm - Nigeria". www.coolfm.ng. Retrieved 11 September 2017.
- ^ a b http://www.ph-microscope.com/you-know-their-voicesbut-how-well-do-you-know-these-oaps-sandra-ezekwesili/
- ^ "You know their voices…but how well do you know these OAPs (Sandra Ezekwesili)?". 26 February 2016. Retrieved 11 September 2017.
- ^ Wikina, Ebenezar (3 December 2014). "TEDxYouth@OrdinanceRoad: How We Put West Africa on the Map". Retrieved 11 September 2017.
- ^ https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandra-ezekwesili-0b17567a/
- ^ "Steph Foundation - Team". www.stephfoundation.com. Retrieved 11 September 2017.
- ^ TEDx Talks (14 April 2015). "It Starts With You - Sandra Ezekwesili - TEDxYouth@OrdinanceRoad". Retrieved 11 September 2017 – via YouTube.
- ^ Stephanie Busari; Flourish Chukwurah. "'Big Brother' has Nigerians talking about sexual consent". CNN. Retrieved 11 September 2017.