When life gets tough, dreams are sometimes sacrificed temporarily or permanently but that was not the case of indomitable Mrs.Edem Knight-Tay.
She had studied General Arts at Okuapeman Secondary School at Akuapem-Akropong in the Eastern Region and was yet to discover where the road to her dream would lead her.
But after many years of sailing through turbulent tides, she has risen to become the first female Programmes Manager of Joy FM, one of the pioneers of private radio business in Ghana.
The Spectator recently caught up with the industrious lady, currently the hostess of Home Affairs on the 99.7 dial in Accra and a Communications Consultant to delve into aspects of her life and career.
Background
Edem, as she is affectionately called, was born to Madam Eugenia Ankrah and Mr.Gladstone Yaw Kuma Dagadu, all of blessed memory.
In her teenage years, she took up teaching at New Nation School in Accra in a bid to save money and further her education at the National Film and Television Institute (NAFTI).
According to her, the choice of NAFTI at the time was against the “fanciful trend” of some young people yearning to enter the university, solely for the lavish lifestyle they intended to live.
As young as she was, she was able to read the “hazy map” of her life and determine the career she wanted to pursue.
Education
In 2004, she successfully completed Bachelor of Film and Television Directing and was the only female in her year group to obtain a First Class Honours.
Her silent movie produced in second year, earned positive reviews from her lecturers. She made a music video using the hit song, ‘Kpanlogo Y3d3”, by Amandzeba Nat Brew which was adjudged the best music video of her year group.
The video, she noted, had become a reference point which was still being used as teaching material at the institution.
Her final year project “Image Africa” was also adjudged the best directed movie.
While in school, she had started working with Ivan Quashigah who had just begun Farm House Production, worked as a Production Assistant and Director.
Edem, as a trainee, helped produce some popular programmes of that era such as Frytol Women’s Digest and ‘Nsem Wo World’ a local language TV series aired on GTV and Metro TV.
She explained it was some of those productions that shot Agyakoo to fame and enhanced the status of popular actor Akrobetu.
After completing the course, she worked as a Teaching Assistant at NAFTI between 2004 and 2005 and had some stints with GTV in 2003, and later started her own production company in 2006.
Work
As it is the case with many women, Edem after marriage had to spend about five years at home to help her children find their feet before she could take up another permanent role.
She admitted that those five years were quite challenging and feared the impossibility of bouncing back to her career.
Nonetheless, she managed to secure a job as Channel Manager for Sky Digital TV in 2009, and hosted Young Adults, a TV programme at the station, which saw to the rejuvenation of her creativity.
She later set up Evergreen Child Development Centre, a nursery at home, where busy parents found her trustworthy to keep their children.
“I started with one child and in no time, I had 30 screaming children at home. That level of activity was very therapeutic for me”, she noted.
Edem, who now has four children, had run the Child Development Centre for two years until her sister-in-law drew her attention to a job advertisement at Joy Fm in 2011. She applied and took off as a radio producer.
Joy FM
Edem’s first engagement was to produce Home Affairs and Ultimate Health. But two days to the start of her role at the radio station, she got an enhanced offer to handle the award-winning “Drive Time” show as well.
She later rose from the position of producer to become the hostess of the Home Affairs programme and after years of dedicated service, became Head of Productions at the Multimedia Entertainment Hub in 2017.
In 2019, she was again promoted to Head of Talk, Entertainment and Religious Programmes at the station. In August 2020, she was appointed the first-ever female Programmes Manager.
Edem who holds Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Human Resource Management, describes her task as “a tough one.”
“My role included creating compelling content through the talents and resources I have while attracting audiences and revenue with the content we create,” she said.
While acknowledging the support of the Management of Multimedia Group Ltd, She expressed confidence in her team as she works hard to accomplish the task at hand.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme